Faithfully
by CherishMimi
Summary: The term "faithfully" was very important to Quinn Fabray. So important to the point where in the dictionary, there should be a picture of her and Rachel Berry, because she was, in light of Journey's lyrics, Forever Hers...Faithfully. Faberry.
1. Hometown Glory

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Okay. I think I'm gonna die if I don't get this story out of my system. It was inspired by some comments I saw on live journal about a tattooed Quinn and I was thinking, "holy shit that sounds sexy", so I formed some words and created this concoction of a first chapter to a very odd story. **

**It's my first Glee fiction and I'm slightly obsessed with Dianna Agron, so you will find that it is a little Quinn centered.**

**Enjoy!**

**BTW: This chapter is named after Adele's "Hometown Glory". Great song, really...**

Chapter 1 

The inhabitants of Lima, Ohio would tell you to this day that when they met and encountered the youngest daughter of Judy and Russell Fabray, Quinn was her name, they pictured her becoming some famous doctor, or lawyer who married a nice blonde man and had a few blonde kids and lived old and happy with her god oriented family.

They were pretty much sure that with the intent watching of her parents, the perfect social life led with precision and dedication, head cheerleader, president of the celibacy club, etc., she would grow up to be just like her mother and father.

They were wrong.

From the pregnancy, to the disowning of her parents, to delivering and then adoption, to packing all of her things up and disappearing from the little town of Lima, they were wrong about every perception that they had gathered of the once "wholesome" Quinn Fabray.

They never would have guessed that she would end up covering most of her left arm up in a tattoo, or that she would have a small diamond stud pierced atop her nostril. They never could have told you that she would become a tattoo artist and open up a chain of parlors in L.A, Dallas, New York City, and West Hollywood, where she lived.

They never could have told you that she fell in love with a woman, and enjoyed women, and indeed was a lesbian.

They never, ever, would have thought.

That was their problem.

They didn't think.

But she could have cared less, to be honest. Quinn Fabray had decided once her car had crossed the state line of Ohio, she left every thought about everything that involved her past life with it.

Every now and then she allowed the thoughts of Glee, of Regional's, and of her baby Beth to fill her mind slot.

Other than that, it was the buzzing of her needled pen as she created some theatrical drawing here and there and everywhere on various people's body.

She thought of how she loved the way the ink would stain on her customers body wherever she was specially requested to place it, and she would under a large amount of payment.

Ink was like a sustained addiction to her.

She much preferred it in her college days over any other means of writing, it seemed ink was permanent…unable to be erased. And something about that really sunk into her.

She was hooked under the pretense that it took a great amount of effort to get rid of ink. It was hypnotizing…poisonous yet yearned and loved overall. Easy to get addicted to really, and in a sense favored.

It was like a muse that allowed her to think, when she was rewarded the time to come in to her home shop in West Hollywood and give a special creation to someone, and the buzzing would surround her ears and she would let her mind wander in a sense of enjoyment.

She credited it to her best ideas…and to her worst memories, memories of happier moments, of bronze eyes gazing into hers and auburn strands of hair felt on her fingertips, of song lyrics being sung lovingly to her in her own world…and then the buzz of ink etching those words onto her, forever, burning in her arm…

"Wake the fuck up, Q." A voice snatched her from her comforted place of unspoken hell, and she snapped her head up from the sketch she was transferring to the big burly arm of a very rich man to glance to her best friend and colleague.

"Good morning to you San, you're always so happy and bright in the morning time…" She said as the Latina she was referring to raised an eyebrow and sat a steaming cup of coffee down next to that of Quinn.

"Yeah, sure, Britt thought it would be nice if brought you some coffee on the way to the office…" She spoke running her fingers through her mane of long dark hair.

"I'll have to be sure to thank Brittany for promising you hot crazy sex when she gets home from rehearsal…" Quinn spoke with no emotion as she returned her gaze to her work.

"At least I'm getting hot crazy sex, let alone any sex at all, Mrs. Frigid." Santana spoke sipping her coffee and allowing her heels to click as she strutted over to the front counter of the shop.

She allowed her eyes to trace all the appointments that filled the list and glanced up at her best blonde friend.

"Fuck, Quinn do you plan on seeing light, today?" She said with a conviction and hard, tough, eyes.

Quinn momentarily considered answering the question, but then decided to leave it in the air, because to be honest…no she didn't plan on it.

"Whatever bitch…let me know, Britt and I are going to a club tonight-"

"No San."

"Quinn you've got to get out there sometime soon and meet you a hot one with a nice ass…or something." Santana pitched as if some sort of sales commercial.

"Is that supposed to be tempting?" Quinn asked with a raised eyebrow.

Santana shrugged her shoulders, and concluded her scanning of the appointments…but only to make her presence better known aside Quinn.

"Lopez, please…your invading my personal space."

"Does is look like I give a fuck? Look tubbers, Britt and I seriously haven't had enough time in our post honeymoon to figure out why the hell you're moping so much but we've decided that enough is fucking enough."

Quinn allowed her mind to settle over the fact that to anyone else's ears this was harsh and very unsettling, as a matter of fact, it was way too contradictory and rude to be a friend's comfort in anyway, but to Quinn under all that Latina hard-ass nonsense, Santana Lopez was saying, 'I'm worried about you, please come out with us'.

In all of her years of knowing the girl, from high school to meeting up with her now with them being 'all grown up', she knew how the girl worked.

She got shit done, her way.

It was one of the many things that kept their relationship solid, Quinn concluded. Because they both were stubborn and didn't know how to not be.

Well, unless Brittany was around.

The Latina had not changed. She was still head bitch in charge, only now instead of a cheerios outfit, and occasional glee costumes, she donned suits and a wedding ring.

Brittany had finally tamed the shrew.

It was laughable to anyone from Ohio, because it was all so obvious that those two would eventually become too close for anyone to squeeze their happy asses between them to break them apart.

Santana was a rude lawyer wearing many hats, she took all types of cases, always won, and didn't ask any questions in between. She also owned half of Quinn's business and took care of all the financial behind-the-scenes stuff.

A year into all of this, Brittany proposed, and now they were officially stuck with each other.

Quinn hadn't decided yet if it was nauseating or slightly disgusting, either way she always had the urge to throw up in their presence.

"Seriously Q, I have no idea why you feel the need to be all hormonal and shit, but it's annoying and upsetting my wife, and when my wife's upset she never wants to have sex, so therefore it's your fault I couldn't get any last night and so I'm just a little fucking pissed at your white ass-"

"When are you ever not pissed at my white ass…"

"Quinn! Stop acting like you don't want to hang with us, your two best friends who have stuck with you through thick and thin, drunken one night stands and bastard babies-"

"Fuck bitch, I'll go! Just please…for the love of god shut the hell up…" Quinn muttered truly exasperated with her useless rambling, and Santana smirked in true thanks.

"I figured so, be ready around about eight, Britt and I are carpooling," Quinn rolled her eyes focusing on the arm of this huge man still somehow in her line of vision allowing her slightly far off mind deal with permanent ink and his skin. Hmm, how wonderful he hadn't thought she was a psycho crazy bitch.

"Love you Quinn!" Santana called, waltzing out of the door.

"Fuck you." came her reply to the departure.

Quinn hadn't been out in nightlife since she first resided in West Hollywood. She was all for the Lesbian bars and stuff, but she wasn't into dating.

She just wasn't.

And it was an unspoken rule to not question it.

But in her solemn head she questioned it every single day, she wondered why she was shutting her self off from nice, sexy females whom she could have.

But the questioning was short lived, she answers were there in front of her.

She was in love with one girl.

And it figured that the last time she even witnessed the female was at her high school graduation beaming in the picture they had taken together and telling Quinn that she would be simply exceptional at UCLA.

Quinn almost replied to girl, 'I love you',

But she nodded and kissed her on the cheek and allowed herself the pain of missing and longing to see the gorgeous but undeniably straight friend she had fallen in love with.

It was some suck worthy bullshit.

Seriously.

Finishing the touches on the big burly man's "masterpiece", she snatched the pen from his arm, set it on the tray beside her. She stared at the work she had created in her short moment of musings. It was quite morbid…but strangely beautiful in its own scary way.

"Is it finished darlin'?" He questioned, excitement undeniable in his low undertone of voice.

"Yes sir, it is…it's fucking awesome too, an obvious Quinn creation." She grinned at her own statement, before grabbing him a mirror.

"Well that's what I hoped for…" he said while staring at the new vision taking refuge on his arm.

"Wow…that's gorgeous. Ms. Fabray, you're simply exceptional." He said smiling a big gangster grin towards her.

_Someone else once told me that._

"Thank you sir, I appreciate that, go get yourself wrapped and Kim up front will handle all that other complicated shit." The blonde kicked her stool backwards and shook hands.

"Pleasure doing business with you," She said genuinely.

"I'll be back." He stated firmly with a big smile and she found the contradicting of this man's appearance with his actually great personality and intelligence quite refreshing in the big judgmental state of California, she could see why he was seeking residence in the open minded place of West Hollywood.

Quinn grabbed a towel to clean her hands off before allowing her gaze to travel around the large space that she started all of this coping and sketching of her dreams. She had entitled the franchise, _Ink Inspiration_. Since it was her only inspiration and the feeling of giving someone else the same message from what she did gave her an unspeakable amount of joy.

Inside her iced heart was happiness somewhere, you know like, true shit-eating grin happiness?

It just needed to be unlocked, and she was going to allow someone to do it…but she just had a few more years of mourning to do.

She had all this success, all this great achievement, but she wasn't satisfied. Because she couldn't share it with the one person who really lied in her mind, she couldn't give her all because it lied within the person that truly was the inspiration behind the ink.

She was the reason there was a giant gold star placed next to every 'inspiration' on every sign.

She was in love with Rachel Berry, and every day it grew stronger.

Lesbian tattoo artist, head over heels in love with someone who probably didn't even remember her name.

She had been devoted to this insanely talented and exuberant singer ever since high school, and she knew the exact moment, and replayed that moment every day in memory, in missing and in mourning.

Because after all there was nothing she could possibly do about it.

She didn't know the location of one Rachel Berry, she didn't know if she was married or engaged or happily dating someone, some man probably…not the gay type. Quinn knew.

It was all so real in high school. She liked men, and Quinn was a woman. It was straightforward and to the point.

It wasn't getting any more bittersweet than that. There would be no confession, no heartfelt running into each other's arms revelations in some sort of dramatic romance movie type fashion. There would be no gorgeous make up scene with her declaring her missing and apologies for not finding her sooner, as made popular by those gorgeously false fairytales.

Because after all the assuming and all the wondering, and maybe even some slight prying here and there, people were sure of one thing.

Quinn Fabray's life, wasn't a fucking fairytale.

**A/N: There is so much more coming from that…I've got plot bunnies running circles in my brain and they are excited about tattooed Quinn, trust me. So if you're yearning for more please let me know! I love reviews! **

**REVIEW!**


	2. Hello, I Love You

_Faithfully_

**A/N: So…whoa.**

**I so wasn't expecting the response I got out of you guys. Thank you for your insanely inspiring and hilarious reviews, I loved every single one of them!**

**Enjoy!**

**BTW: This chapter is named after the popular song, "Hello, I Love You", By The Doors, As made ever more popular by Glee on the episode, **_**"Hell-O**_**". Hehe..**

Chapter 2

Quinn was seriously dreading the nighttime.

She fucking hated bars.

And eager Lesbians.

There was a certain irritating edge to their pathetic advances to her. Even though most of the time, they were all quite intimidated, which was only natural. It was a trait she had carried all the way from high school.

Her blue eyes, full lips, and long legs, because you would most definitely never catch Quinn Fabray in a pair of pants, it was all an image, and an enticing and inviting one at that, one that caused both men and women to salivate when they saw her.

And maybe that was a really bad thing, for her to parade around the streets of West Hollywood with cut off shorts and strappy spiked sandals.

But she really couldn't help it. It wasn't like her to step out and not dress for the occasion, even if she wasn't planning on getting any action or meeting anyone, she never allowed her appearance to slack.

Another trait that she carried from High School.

She always had a certain urge to wear things with no sleeves, things that would show off her tattooed arm, maybe, if she put her long tendrils up on her head, they would even see the second tattoo inscribed on her neck.

_Beth, _was what it said, and the few women that attempted to make sense of it just concluded that it was a girlfriend, or perhaps even wife, and that warded them off.

But not tonight.

No, you see tonight she decided to throw some curls to her blonde locks, she donned her shortest shorts, and the diamonds from her sandals sparkled brighter than any other pair she owned.

The corset was black, and she hung a necklace from her neck to attempt to distract the stares.

Yeah, right.

In basic terminology Quinn was looking more than sexy, and she could honestly have cared less. The only thing she was really looking forward to or rather, very excited about was the opportunity to see her two best friends grew immensely wasted and also to don just a few drinks herself.

She was the designated driver, as per normal.

A honk ripped her mind from her musings and she exited her home only to spot a certain Latina and a certain Blonde getting far too carried away in the front seat of the black Escalade.

"Get a god damn room please…" Quinn said with a roll of her eyes as the two managed to untangle themselves from each other and sit right in their seats, as she climbed in the backseat with a grin directed towards the most eager of all eager Lesbians,

Brittany.

"Hi Britt, how'd rehearsal go?" She spoke to the loveable female.

"It was good…but let's not talk so much about me, Quinn…why don't you like going out with San and I?"

Straight to the point, always.

And Quinn actually had use her brain before answering the question aimed at her so soon in the evening because she couldn't look at Brittany and say, '_because I'm in love with Rachel Berry, you know from high school?' _but then she couldn't exactly tell the girl to 'fuck off' either.

"Oh Britt I love going out with you, it's just your wife."

"Yeah, yeah, you make me want to vomit my fucking lunch too, Fabray." The feisty woman said from the driver's seat, taking a break from her road rage to comment.

"I always knew we were going to be such good friends, you know when I first met you, I thought, 'wow, she's the sweetest person I ever met'." Quinn said meaningfully putting her hand on Santana's shoulder, only for it to be shrugged off immediately.

"Fuck you and everything you stand for Fabray."

"Considering I stand for about half of the sins printed in the bible, thanks, you're about halfway to heaven now…"

"Hey, you know something Quinn when I first met Santana, I thought she was really nice too!"

Oh, Brittany.

* * *

It took approximately forty-five minutes for Santana and Brittany to get really pissed, and practically attempt to fornicate on the dance floor of the bar they were inhabiting.

It was a glorious moment for Quinn.

She sipped on her beer with ease, watching the duo as they embarrassed every other lust drunk couple with their sloppy and sexual gyrating and grinding. It was quite hilarious, but even more so when Santana, surprisingly the dopy one when she was drunk, almost fell over, and that inspired Quinn to laugh and take another swig of her beer.

"Hey sexy." A voice that instantly made Quinn sick to the stomach, filled her ears and she rolled her eyes before glancing up at the strawberry blonde who was taking a seat next to her without asking.

"Oh wow." Quinn stated, as the girl scooted far too close for her liking and settled her hand on her thigh, as if she was meant to all her life.

Ugh.

Eager Lesbians.

"So, need another one of those beers?" The woman questioned and Quinn kept her stare on her two horny drunk friends who were heating up the dance floor with their moves.

"Not really, I'm not even finished, I'm designated driving." She spoke absentmindedly, not really in the mood for much conversation.

"Hmmm, what's your name?" The woman had upgraded to her finger caressing the smoothness of Quinn's leg, and that only made the tattooed blonde want to barf even more than she did when she first sat down.

"Ugh, on second thought I might need another drink…"

"You know we could have a really good time…"

"We aren't now?"

"You aren't letting me, and I honestly just want to dance with you…you're really sexy."

Quinn tore her eyes from Santana and Brittany for the slightest to stare at the intruding woman.

"Here's the thing, you didn't have me at 'hey sexy', then you invaded my damn personal space and proceeded to practically molest me with your wandering hand," Quinn grabbed said hand placed it firmly on the girl's lap, desperate to remove herself from the moment.

"I'm really not interested." Quinn said crossing her legs and focusing on her two friend's who had conveniently disappeared…probably to the bathroom or something.

"As a matter of fact, I think I need some air, if you'll excuse me." And with that she raised herself from the seat she was taking up, and from the presence of the eager strawberry blonde who was seriously looking for some action from the tattoo artist.

Not gonna happen.

She stepped outside the bar doors, and let the night air take up space in her nostrils.

"Jesus fucking Christ, when will I ever get her out of my fucking brain."

It was a rhetorical question that could never be answered.

Well unless god had some way of seriously letting her know the exact date when her days and weeks and years would not revolve around Rachel fucking Berry and where she was now and if she was single, and _'excuse me, but I've been in love with you for nine years, wanna say you love me back now?' _

It would never happen, unless she wanted to be over the singer.

Hell no.

She decided to take a seat on the side of the curb, her legs gapped open and her arms resting on her knees.

The music from the club echoed around her and she ran a defeated hand through her blonde tendrils, seriously realizing that maybe…it was time to let her love go.

"Seriously?" She asked herself the inquiry spoken out loud and she wondered if she could even gain the strength to allow herself to move on.

Hell no.

She had tried on many occasions and it was like the woman was a addiction of some sort, she couldn't stop herself from having this warped notion that someday somewhere she would find her and they would be together.

Aww, it would a lot sweeter if it were realistic.

Briefly she recovered from her selfish thoughts to wonder about her drunken friends, but she was pretty sure they were more into themselves than her at the exact moment in time.

Most likely attempting to make quiet love in a dirty bathroom stall.

Sounds delightful, in Quinn's opinion.

The doors from the bar opened to reveal Ms. Strawberry herself only now being accompanied by a stumbling Brittany and Santana.

"Speaking of the devil."

"Quinnnnn…" Santana drawled and she held onto Brittany for support which was pretty futile considering Brittany had no balance at all.

"Quinnie, this pretty g-girl said she knew youuuu…and we asked her where you were and she said out here….and now here you arrrrre! I s-sound like a pirate…" Brittany slurred.

Santana inched to Quinn breathing her achohol induced breath into her face, which caused Quinn's nose to scrunch up in slight disgust, "Brittany's drunk…shhhh! Don't tell her I said t-that though."

And this is the enjoyment that came from the terrible bar hopping.

Quinn laughed at her pissed friends before glancing up at strawberry, "Thanks for bringing them to me."

"Whatever." The woman said and she practically dropped Brittany off on the concrete. Quinn rolled her eyes as the bitter strawberry went back into the bar, a little bit hurt from the exchange she had so literally failed at with the sexy tattoo artist she had been praying that she would get the chance to bed, and Quinn quite honestly couldn't blame her for being just a little bit upset.

She did kind of turn her down.

But she didn't have to be so damn rude about getting rejected, why couldn't she be nice about it?

_Why couldn't you be nice about not wanting to sleep with her?_

Touche.

"Bitcccchh…" Santana slurred. And Quinn brought her thoughts back to the two females she had agreed to accompany on this fine evening who undoubtedly had allowed themselves to get clumsy drunk, which left her the task of taking care of them, like always.

Now the only problem with this moment was that Quinn had no earthly idea how to get two drunk clumsy people back to their home, by herself.

It would be different if it was one, but two? Hell no. that's a double load of throwing up and stumbling and crying.

Ugh, she really fucking hated bars.

Quinn glanced up at the sky, before grabbing Brittany's arm and winding it with Santana's where they intertwined fingers.

"Okay, walk ahead of me at all times, we're going to attempt to move to the car, how's that sound?"

The two seemed to be seriously into each other, and obviously did not hear her. She was only led to believe that since they chose not to comment on her plan, probably because their mouths were fused together in a heated embrace.

It was one of the many times she felt left out.

Not about the kissing thing...yuck.

But...was sounding slightly tempting...being drunk.

And as she walked the walk, she prayed that her shameful steps would be over soon and that the black SUV was in sight, because she really couldn't stand being the third, sober wheel. She couldn't help but wonder if she would feel any better as wasted as her friends were.

Because drunk and clumsy would most definitely ruin the prospect of bitter and mourning a loss of someone you never had in the very first place.

Someone who you could possibly never have the second chance with, ever.

"Quinn?"

And she froze.

She was surely so depressed that she was hallucinating, now, because that most definitely on the streets of West Hollywood outside of a gay bar could not have been the voice of one Rachel Berry, whom she was in love with.

The one she just so happened to be letting her mind wander over moments and days and weeks and years before. It wasn't possible that fate and Jesus Christ coincided with each other for once in her very unlucky life, and brought this miracle to face her.

It just couldn't be.

"Quinn, is that you?"

She shut her eyes and willed herself, it could be a dream, it could be a sick dream with someone else in place, it could be some other woman with the voice of an agel talking to another Quinn.

_Stop being a pussy Fabray, turn around._

She pinched her nose and turned.

Standing there, in a short black dress, a few inches taller than she was because of her black pumps stood that love that she lost, her long brown hair falling as long as it did in high school and her brown eyes transfixed on the blonde in front of her.

She could have possibly doubted by the maturity and lack of argyle that this woman wasn't Rachel, until she smiled the smile.

The wide, 'Rachel Berry', smile.

The one that caused her to fall in love with her in the very first place.

"Rachel…" Quinn was entranced by this meeting and didn't quite know what to say or do, granted she was stuck staring at the face of the beauty. She was stuck staring at the face of the woman she had loved for so many years. The woman she had been set on giving her life to, giving her heart to. The woman that she had so much to say to, the woman with the most words saved for her by the blonde tattoo artist who was so far gone in love with her. There was so much that was to be spoken, so many ways the revelation could be uncovered, so many tempting adresses on the tip of Quinn's tongue...

And yet, there was nothing she could say.

She was reduced to silence, and it seemed so was an equally entranced Rachel.

For once.

"Yeah…"

That was the moment where her friends whom she was supposed to be helping get into the safe confining of their vehicle, chose to fall over onto the concrete after an intense make-out session ripping Rachel and Quinn's staring contest to a close, and Quinn rushed to pick them up, unlocking and opening the door to the Escalade.

The two giggling women climbed into the car, and Quinn shut the door and stared at herself in the reflection of the window, glancing up to see those brown eyes still staring back heatedly at her.

"I've got to go…" She spoke and she scrambled to get to the driver's side of the car. It was an honest fight or flight inctinct. And the one moment where she was actually supposed to fight, the moment where she was supposed to will herself to be the brave Quinn Fabray from high school, who had nothing to hide, and everything to say, she didn't.

She allowed herself to cower, she allowed herself to take flight.

"Quinn wait-" But Rachel's words were cut short, as the blonde started the Escalade and sped out of the parking lot at a speed only reserved for criminals.

She left Rachel staring after the taillights, the smile dimmed just a little, but still on her mouth, still there...because she just ran into Quinn Fabray.

However the Quinn Fabray in question was feeling remorseful, she was feeling like a fucking dumbass, and didn't have a smile to show because, after nine years of mourning and missing, she ran into Rachel fucking Berry in the parking lot of a gay bar.

And she fled.

Like the coward and very unlike the head bitch in charge Quinn Fabray that she usually was, but damn it.

It was her.

And she had this spell over her.

And just when she was starting to form a slow grip on it,

She was back in Quinn's life, with her smiles and her body and her…everything. Rachel Berry was unknowingly driving Quinn crazy and she spoke to her for about five seconds for the first time in nine years. Instead of opening up, or even saying, _'wow, nice to see you,'_

She fled.

**A/N: Hehe, I know you all are pissed at Quinn, right? I know…but it just didn't seem realistic for them to see each other and for her to have anything to say…she's in shock.**

**REVIEW! **


	3. Because

_Faithfully_

**A/N: So here you go, I'm being really generous with this story, it may be because of the reviewers who are freaking awesome! Seriously! **

**Enjoy!**

**BTW: This song is named after "Because" By "The Beatles", but the **_**Across The Universe **_**version is the one I'm insanely stuck on at the moment, it's an awesome movie!**

Chapter 3

In a span of twenty four hours, in what started off to be a normal day with Quinn working her usual three or four or maybe five appointments, and managing to be depressed and severely pathetic about her lost relationship with Rachel Berry, she had managed to do both and end up sleeping on Santana and Brittany's couch after caring for her friends in their wasted state.

Oh, and don't forget coming face to face with the face that had plagued her mind for the past nine years, and ruining any chance of igniting the far blown flame.

"Fuck."

It was the phrase that had repeatedly escaped the blonde's lips since she had fatefully took flight from the only opportunity she had ever wanted and now she sat in her best friend's kitchen, staring at the wood of their table, trying to figure out what influenced the coward inside of her to appear suddenly in the one moment she was relying on a brave person to appear.

She was itching for a cigarette.

Did she mention that she had taken up smoking during her first year of college?

It was a hard habit to kick, it was so easy to forget the pain of the things you just couldn't salvage, it was easy to numb the failure felt inside of you when you gave up your daughter, or missed the chance to be with the person you truly loved.

Easier than drinking, but just a tad more dangerous to people's eyes.

She managed to salvage herself and get rid of the bad habit, she managed to stop the urge of sucking on the cancer sticks since her junior year, but damn it…she wanted one now more than ever.

"Fuck!" She reached for her cup of coffee she had gone out and picked up for herself, too focused on her ongoing malfunction when it came to things that seriously mattered, to prepare anything, let alone brew a pot of java for herself.

Why the hell couldn't she ever do anything right?

Ever?

It was an honest problem she thought had something to do with her genetics or something. Or rather it was in the Fabray bloodline to fuck up anything that involved loving another person.

Oh, but that couldn't be it because she had managed to be a healthy lover of the woman.

For nine years she had managed to fall in love, and be a devoted person to woman…almost.

If only she was in an actual relationship, and not loving and admiring from afar. If only she had the power to call her up and ask her herself how she was doing. Instead of sitting around engulfed in the sounds of angry people and tattoo parlors and the buzz of her pen marking people's skin with the permanent ink.

Jesus, what the fuck was Rachel doing in fucking West Hollywood, outside of a fucking gay bar on a fucking Friday night?

What the fuck?

Didn't she have some sort of husband somewhere and some great life with some great part in some major Broadway show making loads of fucking money?

That is what _the gold star _had aspired to be since her day of birth, and Quinn had no doubt that she would make it to that dream. There was no doubt that she was endure the tasks needed to be endured in order for her to become immersed in success and fame.

Not that Quinn would know anything about the brunette, she hadn't contacted her in nine years, anyway.

So, there was one point where blame could be placed easily.

_Good fucking job Fabray._

She swore sometimes that inner voice that spoke to her with mirth and disdain was the always '"so sweet" voice of one Santana Lopez.

Seriously, sometimes she wondered if the Latina had snuck some sort of recording in her brain that allowed her to comment on every single screw up she ever took place in.

Quinn wondered as she let the now warm coffee slide down her throat if Santana figured the same conclusion with her, but quickly knew the answer to that.

There was no conscious in the evil demons head.

But she loved her like a sister.

"Fucking shoot me."

And there was said demon, waltzing with an air of vomit and headaches now, eyes squinting at the light from the kitchen ceiling, in a silk robe with tousled hair.

"Good morning sunshine!"

"Or let me shoot you, one or the other. What is your problem, tubbers?" She said snatching the outstretched coffee from Quinn's hand.

"I've got a lot of problems, but the first one on the list today is bringing you back to life, Lopez, what do you say?" She spoke a smile tugging playfully at her lips.

"Fuck off."

"That's my girl, now hurry up and drink your coffee, you've got a big day today, your secretary called there are a couple of cases that you've got to handle-"

"I'm not going to handle that shit today, I feel like ass, call her back and tell her to give that shit to Wesley."

"But I thought you said Wesley was a jackass?" Quinn questioned, watching her truly lost and groggy friend attempt to raise the scalding liquid to her lips.

"He is. And he insulted me when he thought I couldn't hear him a couple weeks ago, payback, is a bitch." She raised the cup for the second time, after an obvious fail at a first try.

"Santana that's hot, let it cool off."

"You don't tell me what to do." She dipped her tongue out to swig the coffee only to jump halfway out of her chair at the sensation of the burn.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Q!" She slammed the cup back down on table, and rushed to the sink to grab a glass of water.

Quinn giggled, "I figured that would work."

"You are a bitch."

"Thank you, I've accepted that by now." She spoke with an air of nonchalance, "But you're awake now, aren't you? And by the way you go call your damn secretary your damn self, I've got bigger things to worry about."

Santana raised an eyebrow at her, awake and piqued with interest at her friend's sudden ability to get off the subject of insulting her.

"Hmm, Fabray what's up with that?"

"Nothing, it's the shop, I've got a couple of appointments today…and as a matter of fact it's about that time for me to go on in and take care of that, so no need to thank me for picking you and your wife's drunk asses up and bringing you home after you got ass drunk, I'm gonna go-"

And she attempted to raise from the table, cup of java in hand.

"Sit the fuck down preggers!"

"You know that's getting kind of old considering I'm not pregnant anymore, San."

"Doesn't matter, the name stuck…but don't try and change the fucking subject, what are these bigger things that you've got to worry about?" Santana inquired jumping on the counter to swing her feet.

"Damn it bitch, do we have to do this?"

"Come on Q, you can make this easy or you can make this hard…either way I'm gonna get it out of you."

Quinn knew that was a painful truth. "Fuck. Okay so while I was attempting to get your drunk ass and Brittany's drunk ass-"

"Don't talk about my wife's ass…"

"Shut up, anyway when this complete stranger brought you two to me, after hitting on me of course, I decided that the best thing to do for you dumbasses were to take you two home." Quinn started.

"Seriously? Someone hit on your prude ass? Look outside and make sure pigs aren't flying blondie."

"Fuck you, do you want to know or not?" Quinn snapped, and the Latina raised her hands in defeat.

"Okay. Well I made you guys hold each other's hands because it seemed that neither of you were really stable, but I couldn't carry both of your heavy asses but when we got the car…"

The memory of her gorgeous face filled Quinn's brain and the mole still resting on her cheek, her hair still long and silk like on sight, and her slim taut body still sexy if not even more with the loss of argyle and gain of fashion sense.

"When we got to the car? I don't even remember that shit."

"Well…I ran into someone from high school, it's no big deal…" Quinn questioned her intelligence every time she attempted to dodge an already addressed subject.

"Who? Someone from Glee? Was it Aretha or Glitter?" Santana joked and Quinn knew she meant Mercedes and Kurt, the fashionable duo, and for a brief moment she allowed herself to wonder what those two were doing nowadays.

"In the parking lot of a gay bar? Sure…well Kurt maybe, but Mercedes? Probably not…"

"Well then just fucking tell me Q! Obviously it was someone that means just a little bit more to you because you seem all worried and torn up about it, was it Finn? Or dare I say it, Puck? I feel sorry for you if you were graced with his irritating presence." She spoke rolling her eyes with a smirk.

But Quinn was silent.

"Rachel."

"Rachel? Berry? You ran into Manhands in the parking lot of a gay club and you're all fucked up about it?" Santana said with a laugh and Quinn got just a little pissed at the old nickname that was so cruel in it's ways to the poor girl.

"Don't call her that."

"What the fuck is up? Did she talk you into bedazzling your damn image or something? You hate her Q…"

And when that point was addressed, Santana's face went into a slow revelation, an obvious epiphany formed in the crease of her forehead and her knowing eyes, and for the first time in a long time Quinn felt hot under someone's gaze.

"You're in love with her aren't you?" She inquired and just like that, Quinn's resolve was gone with the wind.

"Santana I don't want to talk about it." She said which was such a futile remark.

"Bullshit! That's what you've been moping about for forever? That's why you've been refusing to go out with Brittany and I? That's why you've been walking around here avoiding every hot female's advances for you and stating that you weren't interested in dating because you're hung up on, RuPaul?" She said with a slightly incredulous laugh, and Quinn stood from her chair really itching for the cigarette now.

"Shut up, and don't call her that, please Santana I don't wanna hear anyone's scrutiny especially yours." She tossed the now empty cup in the trashcan and turned the faucet on beside the questioning woman.

"Oh stop kidding yourself, you've been hearing my scrutiny since you brought the twenty-four pack of crayons to school and I had the sixty-four." She said with her pursed lips, a Santana Lopez face more famous than any other.

"You thought you were hot shit." Quinn laughed, just a little bitter about the crayons thing.

"I was, and you weren't Fabray, deal. Anyway, so you're hung up over Rachel Berry and you obviously haven't communicated with her since we graduated?"

"Yeah…I've never told her that I've loved her since regionals sophmore year." Quinn stated leaning against the sink with an ease letting her mind wander back to the moment when things were so clear, and so unfortunately unbearable to look at with an open mind.

"Aww, shit Fabray so let me just read between the lines here, and save you some time, you saw Berry last night and you fled like a damn pussy didn't you?" Santana guessed obviously spot on with her imagery.

"I just froze San, I have no idea what happened I was looking at her and she was looking at me and I just didn't know what to do…it probably doesn't matter, she was probably coming from some meeting with a casting director or going home to her husband and kid or something-" Quinn mused with an air of melancholy in her tone.

"Are you seriously that big of a dumbass? Why the fuck would Berry be coming from a meeting at one in the morning? And what was she doing in the parking lot of a gay club going home to her kids? That whole street is full of clubs Quinn, there's no way she was just out with 'the girls', Quinn she's obviously all gay for you." Santana grinned as if she had found the cure for cancer.

"Shut up Santana! Don't mock me, I seriously love her." Quinn said outloud for the first time to another person.

"I'm not fucking mocking you, I'm serious. Stop being a fucking pansy and go after her. You know she's gay it's obvious, she's probably just holding back from all those years of fueding. And if it's not that, then just tickle her vag a couple of times, she'll fall in love with the gorgeous and tattooed and misunderstood Quinn Fabray." Santana smiled a sarcastic smile of sorts.

"It's not gonna happen, she's probably deeply in love with someone, who is not me, I just need to get my ass up and over her…but, you really think I'm gorgeous, Lopez?" Quinn asked with feigned interest.

"Yeah sure, a gorgeous pain in my ass."

"Whatever bitch, I've got to head to the shop, I've got to take my frustrations out on a couple of willing costumers." Quinn spoke staring at the Latina.

"And?"

"And get your ass in the shower, your coming with me bitch. I've got to get home, so you've got to drop me off." Quinn said, pushing the woman out of the kitchen a little.

"I don't have to anything but stay Hispanic and die, sweetheart." Santana said though she was making her way up the stairs.

"Yeah the one thing we both actually want you to do for me and you're not doing it soon enough."

* * *

What seemed like an hour later, both girls had successfully made it to the shop, Santana feeling a lot more sober with just a small ache in her temple.

And Quinn?

Well, save for her not being hungover she still felt like a complete ass, and only having two appoinments for the day only made it worse.

Her pain always seemed to get a little better when she could work through it, but there was only two special requests that afternoon for her, so that left her very open for the rest of the day.

Her first client, a cougar trying desperately to hold on to her age, was incompetent and extremely hard to work with, and it seemed she only wanted to dictate Quinn's idea's.

Quinn decided to draw what the fuck the lady wanted to hurry her out the shop before her next consult arrived, and she was glad to find that she had a moment for a break while waiting on such appoinment.

She relocated to the break room in the back but spotted her business partner in her own personal office, glasses tipped down on her nose looking at a stack of pictures.

"What's up San?"

"Looking and Mine and B's wedding photos, the photographer sent them in today…" She passed through each photo with close attention.

"Damn S, you act like you're studying for some sort of test or something, is it really that important?"

Wrong question.

Santana snapped her head to look at Quinn, "These are my fucking wedding photos, so yes! These are the pictures our kids are going to look at…I want them to be able to say wow…these were taken by a fantastic photographer, Mom."

Quinn raised her eyebrows, "Wow…kids already? It's only been like two months, Lopez, and you're already planning for a baby?" She was just surprised in the slightest that her friend was so eager to have kids…she didn't really seem the adolescent type, let alone a baby.

Santana stared hard at Quinn. "This stays in this room, but I've been ready to start a family with Brittany since our senior year…I want kids." She said, and Quinn couldn't deny the flattery behind the vigor in her best friend's voice, it was very normal to see Santana get just a little more poetic when it came to Brittany.

"I see, so you guy's are gonna get a donor and impregnate one of you? Let me just say I hope it's B, because I am not gonna deal with your mean ass pregnant, I can barely deal with your mean ass in normalty." Quinn said leaning on the door frame.

"Hell no," She said, her nose crinkled up in slight irritation, "I said I wanted kids, not that I wanted to bear them…not right now at least, plus I would love to see Brittany swollen in pregnancy…she would be beautiful, and to answer your question, yes. We've actually been interviewing a lot of guys lately."

"Aww…"

"Shut the fuck up, Q."

Quinn snickered at the Latina's inability to be subjected to passionate and sweet surroundings, it was quite hilarious when she had no choice but to be and she had to endure the cooeing.

Their "friendly" banter was interrupted however, by the front desk recoptionist Kim, meeting Quinn's expression in the hallway.

"Your three o'clock is here." She stated simply, and Quinn nodded, _oh joy. _

She left the Latina to do business and stepped out onto the floor only to be smacked in the face with her past itself.

Again.

Standing in a short white dress was, Rachel Berry, again staring at her with those big brown eyes, and a shy, hopeful, smile.

Quinn first allowed her eyes to travel and take in the woman, her tanned glistening legs were hightened by the white sandals and mid thigh dress that only seemed to cling hoplessly to her, and amplified her…assets.

Those long chesnut locks were curled slightly, in the natural silky way they always did and Quinn could feel the drool slipping from her lips.

"Rachel." Same story, different setting, only this time Rachel was determined to talk first.

"Hi, I know this is all so sudden, but after last night, I just wanted to talk to you…and you left so suddenly I just had to find you, so I…I uh had my agent look you up and well here I am…"

"You had your agent find me?" She spoke in a deadpan.

"Yes, well…actually I had him find you before I saw you last night…I made this appointment weeks ago, when I found you lived here." She said a tint of red creeping up on her cheeks.

"Really?" Quinn questioned with a serious air of surprise, but she was proud of herself, she was talking to this goddess and she wasn't stumbling.

"Of course, I have uh, I've been thinking about a tattoo for a while, and well…everyone's recommended you…you've got fantastic records, Quinn." Rachel said with a smile.

"Can we go back to my office to talk?"

And it seeemed the diva was relieved to hear the suggestion, and as Quinn let her pass by she took the time to admire the view from behind…there was so much for her to know about Rachel…but only if the fates would let her.

Or rather, if she would let herself.

Quinn opened the door that led straight to her office, and sat down behind her desk, pulling out a sketchbook. Flipping to a clean page a silence overtook the two of them, and the blonde herself allowed that time to stare at her paper.

"I lied."

They were the first two words to empty Rachel's mouth, rushed but serious, and Quinn raised her gaze to the woman.

She didn't speak, she didn't get a chance.

"I mean I did have my agent look you up…but not for a tattoo, or at least that wasn't the plan, I just I-I knew I was moving to West Hollywood, L.A. isn't my style, and I was talking to Kurt and he was saying how you lived here, and well…I missed you, Quinn."

Quinn was just a bit taken aback at the confession and raised an eyebrow to keep her cool demeanor, and was really just excited about the fact that someone had been thinking and nevertheless talking about her.

"Wow," She paused to let her eyes flicker to the blank paper, "I missed you too, Rachel."

The brunette smiled as if she was expecting her say otherwise and she crossed her legs, the glow of her skin reflecting in the glare of the sunlight, it moved Quinn to swallow.

"You've certainly grown successful, Quinn…" She started looking up and around at all of the paintings on her wall, and even a few photos. They were college projects most of them, pride and past.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." That was the best reply she could really think of, seriously.

"No really, a chain of shops? And you are the highest rank in the country, I did some research, even that Miami ink woman isn't any match for you, some of the wealthiest people pay for you draw on their arm, and every time apparently you create a magical image." She stated all in one breath, and Quinn grinned at the motor mouth that she had fell in love with during high school appearing once more.

"I mean, I always liked to draw…I drew all the time in school, and after high school it kind of escalated…"

Rachel was staring at her intensely, and Quinn felt like she was burning under the girl's gaze, so she awkwardly reached for a binder that she kept next to her desk and Rachel's eyes flickered to her arm that was immensely covered in ink…Quinn's masterpiece is what Santana called it.

"I uh…I have some photos of some stuff, if you want to-"

"Did you create that yourself?" She cut her off quickly, and Quinn was lost as to what she was inquiring about until she followed her hard gaze to her arm, and suddenly she wished she would have worn sleeves.

"What's the background behind that?" Rachel asked curiously, interested and Quinn knew why as she leaned over to peer even more closely at the image and her chest was on full view for Quinn's eyes, she could feel the air turn just a little humid at the gesture, and she quickly stood from her seat.

"It's nothing, really…are you gonna look at the photo's or not?"

Rachel turned to her, "Are you gonna explain to me of your tattoo?"

Quinn stared at her, determined not elaborate it was getting mildly overwhelming, her presence…the presence of this angel.

"I don't know, maybe some other time…Rachel, I haven't heard from you in nine years since you went off to Julliard and suddenly you're here, asking me about…about my tattoo's and things-"

"Well Quinn Fabray you certainly did not try to contact me while you were getting tans on the UCLA campus, not once. So don't you dare try to point the finger at me, and don't try to divert your animosity to me either for simply trying to get to know you with your piercing and tattooed, ahem, self after years of neglect of friendship."

_There was a reason for that._

Quinn stared.

"Why would you want to get to know me?"

Rachel kept her mouth firmly shut, a thin straight line of sorts taking her open mouth's place.

"There are many reasons Quinn."

"A jaded answer if I ever heard one." Quinn challenged, crossing her arms. And Rachel stood to the girl, still just a little shorter even with the spiked sandals, but under the impression that she was intimidating.

"I'll answer when you answer my question about the tattoo." She stated.

"I will, some other time…"

"What about dinner tonight? Is that a suitable time to talk about it? Maybe we can figure out a lot of things."

Quinn thought the air was knocked out of her body when the words escaped her mouth.

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Tonight. We can have drinks and catch up, and answer each other's questions." She said a little less business and a little more genuine, a little more Rachel.

Quinn didn't know what to say.

This fiesty woman had just walked back into her life, and now she was attempting to take her out to dinner. Not like a date or anything though, because she wasn't even sure if the woman even knew she was head over heels in love with her, she wasn't even sure if she was straight.

"I-I don't know…Rachel." She said.

The brunette took her hand, her small soft fingers coming in contact with those of Quinn's it was an endearing gesture, it was one of many meanings, none of which Quinn figured she knew.

"Quinn, please let me take you to dinner tonight." She asked and her brunette eyes peered into those of Quinn's with an air of hopefulness, one that...even if Quinn wasn't in love with her, she probably would have given into.

"Okay."

And maybe she was venturing into something that she wasn't ready for, and maybe Rachel was straight and just interested in being best friends again,

But there was something about the way the girl smiled when she agreed and how she engulfed Quinn in a warm hug with her arms around her waist and her fingers resting on Quinn's lower back, and how she seemed so comfortable, how she seemed more comfortable than she had been in a very long time under Quinn, that made her think…

This could be very interesting.

**A/N: Woah, I totally wasn't expecting that to be as long as it was…lol. **

**REVIEW!**


	4. Temptation

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Sorry! My birthday was Sunday, so I kind of got caught up in the celebration, lol. Well, here's the next installment of this story, and I had to watch the few Dianna Agron videos online to get a good idea of her personality.**

**I like to think that my version of Quinn is just a tattooed Dianna Agron, you know? Because she's nothing like her character, but she's such a morbid and also strong person, with this really sweet and humble attitude, she's got all these different sides to her personality that I love, so I'm attempting to make my Quinn, Dianna.**

**Some would call me obsessed, but I beg to differ. **

**BTW: This chapter is named after a song by Destiny's Child, called "Temptation".**

**Disclaimer: I forgot to put one of these in here, so here it is…I totally don't own this. **

**At All. **

Chapter 4

It was damn obvious Quinn Fabray was head over heels in love with one Rachel Berry.

Because only one person could waltz into Quinn's life and work her into such a nervous wreck.

Only one person could reduce her to panting as she paced back and forth across the floor of her condo.

In her bra and panties.

After her encounter with the brunette in the shop today, where she basically sweet talked her way into a dinner with Quinn, she found herself built up in a frenzy all afternoon, and now she didn't know what to do.

She was stumbling over a full dissaray of clothes lying here and there and everywhere, and she seriously felt like she would start hyperventilating at any moment.

"Yo, preggers, what the fuck is going on in here?"

And for the first time Quinn Fabray was relieved to hear the voice of one Santana Lopez.

"San don't scream…"

And her wife was in tow, and so Quinn turned from her pacing adventures to pull her two friends into the room with her.

Because how do you deal with the love of your life picking you up for dinner in less than forty five minutes?

After nine years of no communication and silent moping?

"A date."

It was the first two words that had left Quinn's mouth, and she bit her fingernails in nervousness, while leaving the Latina and the blonde to stare at her, one in more confusion than the other.

As always.

"Okay…? Want to start actually speaking in full sentences? You were the one who aced literature…" Santana said obviously impatient at the reason she was sitting in her distressed friend's condo with no explanantion as to why she was actually there.

"A date…with Rachel God damn Berry! She's coming over in like forty five minutes, I don't have any clothes on…what the hell do I say to her? I mean-"

"Quinn has a date San!" Brittany said standing and clapping her hands with a sense of excitement. "Well Quinn I'll find you something…it's dirty in here though…I wonder why…" And the girl started picking up clothes around the room in wonder.

"Holy fuck Quinn! You're going on a date with Stubbles?" She said laughing, and Quinn threw her hands up in defeat.

"Santana! It's not a date, well actually I don't even know what it is, I don't even know if she's gay! What the fuck do I do?" She said and the Latina stood trying to push her laughter down.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. How long has it been sense you and Berry last talked?"

"Nine motherfucking years!" Quinn screamed and Santana rested her hands on her blonde friend's shoulders, allowing her eyes to travel towards her very active wife who was trying her hardest to find a suitable outfit for their friend.

"Quinn? Do you think beige would look good with your skin tone?"

Quinn rolled her eyes at the question and sighed before shrugging her Latina friend's hands off of her.

"Jesus, Quinn…obviously this girl is a straight up lesbian, she asked you on a date. And I'm sure even though you haven't talked to her in a long time, you'll have plenty to talk about at the dinner table tonight." She said, and she pushed the worrying friend to a seat on the bed.

"And besides…you're going on a date with Berry, she alone will have a whole shitload of things to talk about, I'm sure she'll love to tell you about her wonderfull broadway career, and her undying love for you…"

"She's moving to L.A." The voice chimed from behind them and Brittany came up from air from the thousands of clothes she was digging through, holding a short sleeved beige shirt with a black belt around it, and some black skinny jeans.

"What? Britt baby, what are you talking about?" Santana turned to face her wife, as she handed her the beige shirt she had picked out for Quinn, and Santana dropped it in her lap.

"She called the house, um…this morning after you guys went to the shop, to talk to me, and to ask me if we were alright because, did you know we were drunk last night Santana, and she saw us? But anyway, yeah, she told me she was moving to L.A., she's working for a record company now, she's been on stage ever since her first year in Julliard, did you know that?"

Quinn obviously didn't. But she did know she was destined for greatness. Always, but was seriously shocked that Rachel had really gone out of her way to get in touch with them.

Santana turned back to her anxious friend and raised her eyebrow, "You're wrong, I'm right Q, face it."

Quinn stared at the girl with worried eyes until she finally sighed and pulled the shirt over her head, "Fine, but she's not even gay…"

"Shut the fuck up tubbers and put on the damn shirt! Berry will be here at any moment and we need to get you looking fuckable so you'll get the stick out of your ass." She grabbed the black pants from her wife and handed them to her, and then she waltzed in her closet.

"San, what if Rachel isn't, though? What if this is a just a set up for some terrible heartbreak? I'm in love with her…"

"No shit, Preggers. Look, if you fucking love her so god damn much, get ready to see her. Don't blow your chance and figure shit out, make her want you jeez, and if she wasn't gay she wouldn't be on her way to pick you up, you would have been asked to meet her…trust me, I know. Just…buck the fuck up. Get confident."

And she emerged from the closet with a pair of leopard print pumps, a devious smile on her features.

"Ooh! It's my Christmas present to you, Quinn!" Brittany squealed and while Quinn stood looking slightly more relieved than she was when they first entered, she found herself being shoved back down on the bed so her friend's could slide the shoes onto her feet.

"Santana, what am I supposed to be accomplishing by wearing this outfit?" She wondered, a little tired with all the nervousness she had displayed towards them.

"Britt, obviously was going for 'please screw me, I love you', and I am topping it off. We're a good team, baby." She spoke, quite proud and pulling Quinn to her feet, so they could survey their work.

They fluffed her blonde locks, and as if planned the doorbell rang.

And the panic, gracefully returned.

"Fuck, Santana she's here…what do I do?" Quinn's forehead crinkled in worry and as an excited Brittany left to open the door Santana handed her her purse and smirked.

"Listen, Q. Go on the date and just do whatever you could possibly do to make her want you. This is your only chance. Don't blow it."

It was probably one of the sweetest moments Quinn had ever had with her best friend, and she couldn't help but crack a genuine smile at the woman she had come to love.

"You didn't use a swear word when you said that…Aww." Quinn spoke, and the Latina grimaced while she rolled her eyes and pushed the girl out of the door of her bedroom.

Quinn was met with the third time she had seen the love she had lost, and she was faced with the third moment her lips had been gapped open at the beauty that was gracing her eyesight.

There she stood, true to her high school demeanor, in a striped skirt and a short sleeved white button down, only now losing the buckled shoes and embracing spiked pumps. Quinn couldn't help but allow her eyes to rake the expanse of the brunettes body with little shame, and when she reached her eyes, they seemed to be glued to hazel one's adoring look.

"I told you she looked hot, Rachel!" Brittany said with a smile, and the brunette tore her eyes from the blonde to smile at her.

"She does look gorgeous…" Rachel murmured and she stepped forward, to greet Quinn who smiled shortly at her.

"Thank you, you look beautiful too," She said quietly and before she could say anything else, a certain Latina stepped forward and grinned at the brunette her friend was indeed supposed to be leaving with.

"Berry! What joy it is to see you after such a long time! God I'm relieved you outgrew that horrid sense of style you had in high school…" Santana said with a squeeze to her shoulder before patting it and walking over to her wife.

"Bye San," Quinn said not-so-subtly giving her the hint to get the hell out, and take her wife with her.

"Hello to you too, Santana I see things haven't changed…you and Brittany obviously didn't grow apart which I'm glad for, and I wish you two newlyweds all the best."

"Whatever, thanks I guess, I wish you and Quinn the best tonight, don't fault her for anything she hasn't been on a date in nine years, Q, remember what I said!" Santana said while she pulled her wife out of the door.

"Oh fuck you Santana!" Quinn said color flooding her face at her friend's words.

The door slammed muffling laughter and Rachel turned to look at the gorgeous blonde she was accompanying on the evening.

"I'm sorry about her…she doesn't know how to act when she's off of her leash…" Quinn said with a laugh, a nervous one of course.

Rachel smiled and stepped a little closer to her date for the evening, "It's alright, Santana has a sense of goodness in all of her actions, I've always believed that since high school, but we'll have enough time for that later, uh, you really do look gorgeous Quinn." and she brushed a piece of hair out of the blonde's face with an ease as if she'd done it all her life.

And as the tingles released themselves up Quinn's spine she smiled in return to her companion, if only for this one night and nodded her appreciation. "Thank you, Rachel, um…shall we?"

Rachel seemed to be emmersed into the view of Quinn and suddenly remembered they were going to dinner. "Oh! Of course, let's go."

And Quinn didn't know what she was about to embark on for the next hour or so, but she was a little less nervous about it as Rachel entertwined their fingers and smiled at the blonde.

* * *

Sitting across from Rachel at a table in a very expensive restauraunt was working Quinn's nerves with a inch or two of anxiety.

The brunette seemed to be intent on staring at the blonde without engaging conversation since they had been seated less than ten minutes ago.

Quinn wanted to say something but wasn't quite sure what to say, but as always, Rachel beat her to the punch.

"Why, California, Quinn?" She said, and it was a fairly loaded question and obviously one that had been on her mind for a long time.

"Why not?" Quinn answered after a brief period of silence and she allowed herself the moment to ponder.

Rachel lowered her gaze from the woman and licked her lips.

"There were so many different places you could have gone, and you chose California."

"I wanted to get as far away from Lima as I could, UCLA offered a scholarship in art, I took it, I loved to draw…it was the one thing that I did that my parents hated and I enjoyed, even more than glee club."

Rachel tilted her head, "I know, you used to draw pictures of me and leave them in my locker junior year, each with a different scene, do you remember?"

Quinn smiled slightly, "Yeah…I was sort of a people watcher."

She actually was sort of a 'Rachel watcher'.

"Yeah, they would never cease to make my day better…Everyday no matter how many times I got slushied or picked on, I would just open my locker door and smile at the pictures that would be waiting for me, they were amazing, I always knew you would do great things with your talent-"

"Why didn't you call Rachel?" Quinn cut her off and the brunette snapped her head upwards to glance up at the girl.

It seeemed she wasn't expecting the question just as Quinn hadn't been expecting the inquiry she had just tossed out at her.

"I-I don't know, Quinn. Why didn't you call?" She asked, sitting back and turning the tables, and Quinn bit her bottom lip in thought, it was a seriously unknown question, why hadn't either of them called. Especially the blonde of the duo, since she was the one obsessively in love with the other.

"I figured you had a husband, and you had broadway…and you just didn't have time, to talk to me, and I didn't have your number." She added as an after thought.

"Well…no husband, I was busy with the stage…but I always have time for you, Quinn…I always did…why would you possibly think that I wouldn't have time for my best friend?" Rachel said reaching to grab the expanse of Quinn's hand.

And the sting of the title she had deemed Quinn with was slightly dulled by the feeling of their connecting skin.

"I don't know…most would say that my mind has been kind of warped for a very long time." Quinn said absentmindedly.

Rachel, studied the girl intently and let her eyes flicker to her arm, that was only halfway covered by the short sleeves of the shirt.

"A warped mind, created that gorgeous tattoo?" She spoke almost innocently.

And Quinn pulled her hand from her grasp, refusing to go an adeventure of inquiries about her tattoo.

"Yes, it did, and I would rather keep it to myself, the tattoo, I mean." She grabbed her almost untouched glass of wine and took a swig as if hoping to direct the attention from her arm to her growing drinking problem, only growing around one Rachel Berry, rather.

"Well, I'm just curious, Quinn and you said sometime later and this is a later date, I'm concerned at the ink masterpiece that you have permanently tinted your skin with, is it a reminder of something…or perhaps someone?" Rachel spoke, running her words together with that Minkenly High School familiarity.

"No."

That was a lie.

"Come on Quinn, that's what we're here for, and this is about the only effective way I can think of getting answers from you…" It was the distressed version of Rachel, and Quinn was kind of amused at how whiny she sounded.

_She could think of another effective way to get answers._

"Why are you working for a record company, and not in New York?" Quinn asked, her head tilted to the side, and her mind adamant of changing the subject.

Rachel sighed, and let a small smirk grace her features, "How did I know the honorable Brittany would allow you to know that information?"

"Beats me, superstar. Tell me what's brought you to the lovely sunny state of California?" Quinn questioned and could almost see the urge to lie in Rachel's eyes. The brunette allowed her hand to rest on Quinn's thigh under the table, and the blonde took another swig of wine to calm her nerves at the touch.

"I could have stayed in New York, they offered me the job at their New York office, originally."

"Why L.A.?"

Rachel raised an eyebrow, and moved her thumb around the expanse of Quinn's jean covered thigh.

"Why not?"

Quinn help the small laugh that escaped her throat at her ode to the answer supplied just moments before.

"So sometime soon we're going call each other's bluff and answer these unanswered questions, I think." Rachel supplied and Quinn was struggling to allow her mind to agree with the feeling of her hand on her leg and her mind running around in unknown places like her bedroom and what fun both of them could have finding answers…

"Maybe…"

Quinn studied this exceptionally and amazingly gorgeous woman that she loved so much and so much she actually wanted to tell her after all these years.

"So, tell me…what was the famous Rachel Berry doing outside of a gay bar in West Hollywood on a Friday night?" Quinn found the wine sliding through her system easily and the question sliding off of her lips with no embarrassment.

Rachel smiled and it seemed her hand rose a little higher on the adventure it was partaking in under the table on Quinn's thigh and she briefly felt her mind fogging up.

"Hoping to meet someone sexy, and I'm so very happy I got to accomplish that mission…" She spoke and it could have been Quinn's imagination that was turning Rachel's voice into a husky tone that was intimately seducing Quinn.

"I don't think…Santana would appreciate you talking about Brittany that way." Quinn said with an amount of smoothness that scared her seeing as her body was shaking.

Rachel smiled and leaned closer to her, and Quinn was finding it hard to pull her mouth away from the full lips of her, Rachel, the one she, had been desiring to kiss for so long.

"I've missed you Quinn…"

"I can tell." Quinn said and she licked her lips unconsciously, the closeness of their mouths almost suffocating her, she was finding a little bead of sweat trickle down her neck, either from the heat of the wine or Rachel's hand caressing her jean-covered skin, she didn't know.

And it seemed it would only require a slight inch of movement for her to taste the hint of greatness she had wanted to taste for so long, but the moment never came, they were interrupted by one waiter, which Quinn found herself plotting to kill and she sat back in her seat, allowing him to set the food down in front of them, Rachel's hand removing itself, much to Quinn's dissapointment, and the blonde crossed her legs, trying supply some friction to the mound of nerves that was suffering from arousement.

Rachel didn't remove her eyesight from that of Quinn's hazel ones, and took a swig of her own wine glass.

"Is that the only tattoo you have?" Rachel asked and the tension filled silence was rescued by that question with Quinn grinning at the brunette.

"Someone has an obsession with my tattoos," Quinn said stabbing a piece of her food with an unknown amount of intensity.

"Maybe, but it's fascinating, I never would have taken you as this pierced tattooed artist, and they just look so beautiful with your skin…you always had beautiful drawings Quinn, always, so I'm happy that you found something to do with that talent." Rachel said her eyes flickering to the half covered tattoo again.

"No, it's not the only tattoo I have," Quinn spoke answering her question and bypassing her compliment, hoping the flush from her cheeks would be dead by now.

She let the air be filled with silence before she spoke.

"I have Beth, right below my neck…my hair covers it up, it's nothing really extravagant, not like the one on my arm…but to answer your question earlier, it's for the memory of a person…her, I-It's stupid, because why would I want to remember her…and I was the one who gave her up? But it was my first tattoo, and well, I um…designed it, so yeah."

She always got nervous and shaky when it came to her adopted daughter, the one she had actually given to Rachel's mother.

"It's not stupid, Quinn, it's lovely and sweet." Rachel said, quickly picking up on the trouble of talking about the adoption.

"Rachel? It doesn't bother you does it?"

"That Shelby gave me up? That she adopted your baby? No…it doesn't actually, I talk to her from time to time, and the happiness she has for the little girl is great…" Rachel let her fork twirl around, playing with her food as she spoke.

"Sometimes I get sad and I wonder why she couldn't ever be there for me, and take care of me the way she takes care of Beth, but I'm over it…because the little girl loves her, on the chance Shelby gives her the phone and lets her talk to me, I can tell in her voice."

Quinn felt her heart tug at the sadness radiating off of Rachel, and also the feeling of regret and guilt that Rachel was in touch with her daughter and actually got to talk to her.

"Wow…you've talked to her?" Quinn said, and she stared questioningly at Rachel.

Rachel smiled nodding and reached down in her purse to pull out a picture. It was of a little blonde girl with hazel eyes, and a smile that matched the one of the girl sitting across from the brunette at the table.

"She looks almost exactly identical to you, Quinn, and she talks like you too…she's got a beautiful singing voice but, she loves to draw."

Rachel spoke and she handed Quinn the picture that Shelby had sent to her, and Quinn's shaking hands took the look into her daughters eyes, and she smiled, staring at the face of the daughter she had given up.

"When Shelby found out I was coming to L.A., to catch up with you…she wanted to give this to you, she had been trying to figure out a way to get in touch, but could never figure out where you were, Quinn…it's alright to miss her."

She studied the picture a little more before she laid in on the table.

"I know, I've always missed her. From the moment she left my arms, I've missed her…I've missed a lot of things my entire life, but I deal. I'm Quinn Fabray, it's what I do." She spoke, taking a bite from her food to ease the sadness in her mind, and convincing herself more than Rachel.

"Deal, huh? You're not fooling anyone but yourself Quinn, I know you're sad…you're successful, but you're sad…and you're vunerable, own up to it." Rachel spoke, and Quinn snapped her eyes to match that of Rachel's.

"You haven't spoken to me in nine years, but you all of a sudden know me?" Quinn snapped and she expected the taken aback look of a scared and frightened Rachel Berry, but only the headstrong hardheaded Rachel appeared at her words.

"I knew you nine years ago, and I know you now-"

"The hell you do, Rachel…I'm not the same Quinn Fabray from high school, a lot of shit has changed about me."

"Obviously, Quinn. You think I don't see that? You think I don't understand? I know you left the old Quinn Fabray in Lima." Rachel spoke, and she was challenging her with the look, daring her to speak.

"You don't understand Rachel…you're still you, you had nothing to lose, you're still talented and beautiful Rachel Berry…"

"I had a lot to lose Quinn!"

"Cut the shit, Rachel. You knew you would do big things, and you didn't need anyone to help you, nor did you need anyone to watch you, you have your parent's love and nothing else could have stopped you."

"I lost you Quinn! I lost my best friend, why wasn't she there to watch me? I wanted her there to watch me!" She said desperately.

"But I wasn't your best friend Rachel. I didn't want to be…I couldn't lie to you about it, but I was too much of a pussy to tell you the truth!"

"So tell me the truth, now Quinn! Please, for once in your life be Lima, Ohio Quinn Fabray and forget about West Hollywood Quinn Fabray."

A short silence passed through the air and Quinn looked at the girl sitting across from her, before she stood and grabbed her purse and walked out of the restaurant. She felt the spiked heels of Rachel clicking as she chased after her, out of the door and walking away from her chance, but she couldn't do it. It was scary, she knew her too well, she knew too much.

"Quinn, wait!" Rachel called and before Quinn could hail a taxi she had grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go, Rachel…this was a mistake," She said small tears welling up in her eyes not really sure why she was finding herself so emotional.

"I just want the truth, Quinn."

"It's too much for you Rachel, and I don't have time to deal with someone else letting me down in my life." She spoke, and to her relief a taxi pulled up to her.

But Rachel pulled her back to her, close to her body, and wouldn't allow Quinn the satisfaction of leaving her side, and it was the determination that Quinn had witnessed from a long time ago that was back and as fiery as it was in Rachel's eyes.

"I won't let you down, Quinn. I'm not everyone else."

It seemed like everything else around them was silent and in slow motion.

"Why did you move to L.A.?" Quinn whispered.

"For you."

And she grabbed the blonde with a vigor and pressed her lips to hers with no hesitation, moving her full lips over hers with a sense of desperation and need, and obviously she had fantasized about this moment with this one woman for a very long time.

Quinn's hands rested on Rachel's hips, and before long had squeezed the curve of her backside, while the brunette probed her tongue inside of her mouth and ran it along Quinn's in away that was threatening to make her knees go weak.

Her hands were in Quinn's hair, gripping her head with a challenge as if asking the blonde to attempt to pull away from the heated embrace they were caught in.

A moan escaped Quinn's lips at the flicking of Rachel's tongue and she found her hands under Rachel's skirt, wondering how they made it there, and now were tracing the lace of her panties, and causing her to leak her own.

Rachel's moan of appreciation broke Quinn's trance and she snatched herself away from the brunette, stumbling backwards.

She turned and went to open the taxi door, and slide in, but before she could close it in the brunette's face, she caught it, causing Quinn to look up at her.

And the truth was lying in Rachel's eyes burning Quinn's own gaze, as she allowed the words to burn in her brain.

"This isn't over, Quinn."

**A/N: Whoo! Intense! I hoped you guys saw I fixed my error what with Quinn's eyes and all, aren't you guys like happy to see some actual Faberry action? Me too!**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	5. Where The Sins Lie

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Oh my *blushes***

**I've been reading some pretty hot stories over at livejournal, and I just have to say the amount of kink is ridiculous. I just want to say that after I finish this story I will be releasing some fillers for some of those prompts so keep on the lookout.**

**Anyways, here's another chapter, involving a very persistent Rachel, ha. **

**BTW: This chapter is named after a line from Spring Awakening's, "Touch Me" which is my obsession at the moment.**

**Disclaimer: Please, I would have seduced Dianna Agron into being **_**my **_**wife by now. And then she'd be **_**my **_**baby mama. It's all written down somewhere in my plans for world domination, but I haven't gotten around to it yet, so sadly, no I don't own it. **

Chapter 5

Rachel absolutely hated looking for houses…she really did.

Especially when her mind was on other things.

Things, like…the gorgeous blonde she had her lips pressed to the night before.

She was hooked, and she was fully focused on the feeling of her soft lips, and her hands touching her and the electricity that filled her body at their mutual contact, that she honestly did not feel like listening to this realtor talk about the large three story house with space ready to build a studio, and the wonderful view of the city.

And as she carelessly but carefully nodded and listened to the woman talk about the perfect landscape and architecture of the home, her thoughts stayed on her blonde goddess.

She had been in love with her since…she could remember.

She didn't exactly know the exact moment, she just knew that she started looking at the cheerio different and after her giving birth to her baby girl, they became inseparable.

But not the way Rachel desired…she wanted to do things to her best friend, she wanted to kiss her full supple lips, she wanted to sexily touch her and she wanted to be more than just her confidant, she wanted more.

But for once in her life, she felt scared…and nervous, and she didn't know how to handle her budding feelings for the popular Quinn Fabray.

Some time ago she had managed to go along her high school career with an extreme amount of resentment towards the blonde, because for some unholy reason she hated the brunette's guts with a passion.

And then when she got pregnant…something snapped, it seemed.

She seemed to look at the sweet and gently forgiving brunette with a sense of longing, for a true friend or something maybe, and that gave Rachel hope…maybe she was somewhere in her heart, somewhere close to where she wanted to be.

But the moment for her advance and for her confession never came, and she let Quinn go to wherever she was going while she journeyed to Julliard.

And it was all great…it really was, the stage…the fame, the praise.

But she wanted Quinn more than she wanted any of those things. She yearned to share it with the blonde. She yearned to come home to her every night and share her tales of what happened at the rehearsals and who screwed what up, she wanted only her, and was fully familiar with her sexuality.

But she had given up hope…she didn't want to ruin the goddesses life, she didn't know where she was or if she was leading some life of luxury or if she was leading some life of true happiness.

No one knew…especially the residence of Lima, Ohio…which was the first place she had returned hoping that she could at least call the blonde and see how she was, and to wish her good luck, but it seemed everyone had no idea where or what the infamous Quinn Fabray was up to.

Except, of course…Noah Puckerman.

He informed Rachel of her whereabouts, and Rachel actually sat at his home with him and Googled her long lost lover.

And she ran with it.

She had just received an offer from a prestigious record company offering her a position as President and she was ecstatic to learn that the offices resided in L.A.

She was about to put everything on the line for her heart's one desire…more than all her Tony's and other awards,

Quinn Fabray.

And she would get her.

And after last night's events, after she finally got her desire filled after she found her mouth fused against the blonde, and they almost made love against the concrete of the night, she was going to get her. She wasn't concerned about the scared little Quinn appearing, she wasn't afraid, she actually anticipated the reaction she received.

She may not have understood those brick walls that were being established and they weren't exactly swift to get past but she was after all, the honorable and legendary Rachel Berry and she didn't give up so easily.

She had inherited a strong sense of "badassness" to match her persistence and she was ready to prove it.

She had been dying to reveal the Rachel Berry hiding beneath the plaid skirts and argyle all through her high school career.

And of course upon getting all her information about the vixen that she was oh so desperately pursuing, what was the perfect way to exemplify the behavior that was required to be said badass?

A tattoo.

And she knew what she wanted and where she wanted it, now all she needed was a certain tattoo artist to do it for her.

The rumors were that she was the best…and Rachel was anxious to find out if they were true.

And with the thought bringing a smile to her face, she took a long look around at the huge mansion that the eager realtor was attempting to show her with a certain determination.

"Okay…I'll take it."

* * *

Quinn seriously was wondering what cruel joke God was playing on her.

She was suffering a severe amount of the grumps after her kiss with Rachel, and she was looking forward to drowning in sorrow in her office all day.

But a certain knock sounded her from her reverie at half past one and she followed an excited Santana out to the floor to see a suit clad Rachel Berry standing upon her arrival and smiling at her as if she was very happy to see her.

But Quinn wasn't as pleased…on the outside of course.

Deep inside her soul she was yearning to grab the short brunette and ravage the hell out of her.

But she was not going to let her know that…or at least she wasn't planning to.

"Quinn-"

"My office, now."

And Rachel flushed at the force of the tone, the vigor in her voice actually rooting the brunette to her spot. Quinn stepped forward and grabbed the woman harshly and practically dragged her to her office…for the second time.

When they hit the doorway, Quinn still holding to Rachel tightly, she slammed the door and spun Rachel to her face, trying her hardest to resist the urge of taking her right then.

"Quinn, let go of me."

"What do you fucking want from me, Rachel?" She spat completely ignoring the futile request and pulling the brunette closer to her.

"Unhand me this instant, Quinn Fabray! I will not tolerate this barbaric behavior no matter how many feelings I have for you!"

"Is this some sort of cruel joke, Rachel? What the fuck is your angle?" Quinn said truly confused at this advance, the female having been in the presence of the blonde for three days in a row now.

"There is no angle Quinn…let me the fuck go!" And at the pure shock of the swear leaving Rachel's lips, the blonde released her.

Stepping away from the toxic being that was Rachel Berry, she ran her fingers through her locks.

"I came, because…I want a tattoo." The brunette spoke as if they hadn't had the heating debacle just seconds before, and Quinn couldn't help the shake of her head that she submitted to.

"Is this like how you moved to L.A., because of your new job?" Quinn said fiercely and Rachel resisted the attitude she wanted to display to the blonde.

"It is not. I want a tattoo, I have come to a time in my life where I require a certain sense of…wildness." She spoke and the dramatic sense of excitement that ran in the lines of her eyes actually made Quinn calm for a moment.

"Really? Well, I'm sure John-"

"I want you to do it." She spoke, cutting the blonde off swiftly.

And Quinn could not tell you how dry her mouth became at the revelation that Rachel wanted her fingers holding the pen that would be marking her.

"Me? Rachel what are you playing at seriously?" She said, and the brunette looked shyly down at her fingers.

"You're the best Quinn…and I trust you and only you…I want you to do it." She spoke, and Quinn was considering every concept of why she could certainly not do Rachel's tattoo.

And one of those budding reasons was the fact that, she could think of another way to mark Rachel.

But this…her profession, her talent at which she was good at, the thing that calmed her the most, was the next best thing and it was tempting…doing this for her.

She couldn't help the smirk that formed on her features. And Rachel was starting to think that Quinn was bipolar, seeing as she was now breifly smirking when seconds before she was harsh and cold to the brunette, talking to her as if she was poison.

"You want me to mark you?" She said lowly stepping closer to Rachel in which the girl stepped back and sat in the chair placed in front of the desk.

"Y-yes…" She whispered, her mind becoming cloudy as Quinn placed her palm on the desk and leaned down to grow closer to the already nervous brunette.

"I'm expensive." Quinn spoke, allowing her finger to fondle one of the soft waves, that looked as if they were wound of silk.

"I know…I'll pay for it." She spoke, and was wondering where the firmness came in her tone.

Quinn allowed her eyes to rake over the girl, her fears of intimacy and rejection sliding away gently.

_Just how will you pay for it, Rachel?_

"I'm really sorry, a-about last night…Quinn, I do mean that." She said, diverting the attention away from the sexual tension turning the room to an impromptu sauna. Quinn pulled away from the bubble of a gorgeous Rachel Berry, and turned to the window of her office that looked out onto the streets of West Hollywood.

A silence hung over them like a tent and Rachel stood nervously.

"You meant what you said?" Quinn spoke, cutting the quietness, breaking any inch of control she had left.

She felt the brunette inch closer to her, standing…watching her as she watched the outside.

"Every word."

And Quinn turned to face her, to face Rachel, her eyes hard and determined.

"Why?"

And the brunette licked her lips. "Because I want you in my life, Quinn Fabray…I miss you more than I could ever imagine and I let you get away from me so quickly…I need you." And she let her soft hands touch the expanse of Quinn's cheek.

But the blonde flinched away from the touch, further inhancing Rachel's curiousity about her being in the slightest bit bipolar.

"You didn't lose me Rachel, this is not how it happens…I'm supposed to be the one trying to get you back! I'm supposed to be the one hopelessly determined to have you!" She said frustrated obviously.

And Rachel could see the wall coming back up as she walked past her, and she grabbed her arm.

"I lost you Quinn, deal."

"I will not deal! For once I will not _deal _with any of this!" She snatched her arm away and Rachel stomped her foot.

"Well what exactly are you going to do Quinn? I'm standing here…so close to begging you for a chance, and you aren't giving me any sort of answers or anything!" She spat at her, pointing her finger accusingly at the blonde.

"Fuck Rachel! Excuse the shit out of me for being unprepared for this! The day before yesterday I was wondering what you were doing and where you were and now…you're here telling me that you want me." She said, and the low and harsh voice that the words were laced with caused Rachel to involuntarily shudder.

"This is why I fucking hated you in high school Quinn! You had too many god damned excuses! It never did anything productive for you." She said before she could stop herself and before she could backtrack she was grabbed and pressed close to the blonde's body.

"And you want to know why I fucking hated you? Because you talked too damn much, and you never _said _anything productive." Quinn said through gritted teeth and Rachel's breath lingered over her mouth.

It was a moment of hardness, two stubborn females desperately in love with the other with no way to really grab control of the situation.

"Fuck you Quinn."

And Quinn snapped.

She captured her lips quickly in a kiss, her hands secured around Rachel's wrists, while she worked her tongue through the brunette's mouth with an ease that seemed to just appear suddenly.

She bit her bottom lip, causing the girl to moan loudly before she pulled it out, sucking on the small wound. Then she pulled away from the brunette, and moved to her tan neck, pressing short bites to the skin with precision.

And she hurriedly walked her backwards to her desk, taking a hand and clearing whatever was on the wooden surface clear off.

She hoisted the girl up on the smooth wood and yanked her legs open, her pencil skirt riding up her thighs with the movement.

Rachel gasped at the feel of her fingers on the skin of her thighs and clung to Quinn with her arms around the girl's neck.

"I know a way to shut you up."

The blonde reached her hand up the skirt of the brunette coming in contact with the lace of the girl's panties and feeling the pool of wetness that was quickly growing it seemed.

She bit the girl's neck while her hands reached for the fabric to pull her panties from her body.

"Oh my god, Quinn." Rachel pressed her lips to the blonde with urgency and reached to pull her shirt from the girl's body.

She moved to her earlobe, biting it as Quinn's fingers teased the dark curls of her slit, tantalizingly running across the wetness.

"Would you like for me to shut you up, Rachel? Judging by your wet slit, I'd say yes," Quinn all but groaned out as the brunette licked the shell of her ear.

"Yes…Quinn…please." She whimpered and Quinn felt like she was going to burst at the sight of the flustered Rachel Berry with her head thrown back the ends of her hair touching the desk.

She bit the brunette's neck before she shoved two fingers into the girl, knuckle deep.

"Oh fuck!"

Quinn felt her eyes roll back at the feeling of Rachel's walls around her fingers, tight and clenching.

"Jesus Christ, you're so fucking tight.." She murmured using her other arm to bring the girls legs around her waist as she braced her own body with her hands on the desk behind her. Quinn thrust her digits forcefully inside of the girl, watching as the coconut colored eyes fluttered closed at the indescribably pleasurable feeling.

"It feels…so good…Quinn," She moaned and reached for Quinn who pulled her body back upwards to press against her own. Rachel wrapped her arms around Quinn's neck.

"Look at me, Rachel." She commanded and the brunette opened and locked her eyes with the hazel ones of her lover.

She added another finger without warning and Rachel cried out in ecstasy eliciting a moan of pleasure from Quinn.

"Fuck Rach…" She threw her head back, before pressing her lips to the girl who was rocking against her fingers with a determination.

"Yes Quinn…god yes…" She was loud and wet and wild and Quinn was close to her own edge.

"Shit Rachel…I've wanted you like this…wet on my desk as I fuck you senseless, I'm the only one who can do this to you, you know?"

"Yes Quinn…harder…" She moaned wantonly and Quinn held on with her other hand to the skin of her thigh, gripping it as she worked Rachel Berry into a fit.

"Tell me…"

"Only you…Quinn…" She was heading towards an uncountable high now, so close, almost there but a certain blonde was refusing her release.

"Only I can what?" She was slamming her fingers, curling and twisting them to hit that spot while the girl clung to her desperately mouth next to her ear and fingers clutching the strands of Quinn's hair.

"Right there Quinn…Oh yes, please…" She exclaimed and Quinn was slightly aware of how close she was to releasing herself, but held off, the noises of the brunette causing her to grow aroused, finding her body rocking with the timing of her skilled hand.

"Say it!" She hissed biting the brunette's neck.

"Only you can fuck me Quinn…I'm forever yours…only yours…" She moaned, and the blonde girl allowed her fourth finger to join the rest as she pounded senselessly into Rachel, the words that fell from the girl's lips turning her into a sort of animal.

"You're fucking right Rachel Berry…I'm marking you…you're mine…understand? Huh?" She spoke and she was aware of the speed that she was working Rachel's lips with causing the girl to buck her hips forcefully onto her fingers and she came undo slowly as Quinn pinched her clit with a final series of thrusts.

"Quinn! Oh!" She cried out, her whole body stilling as she held on to the blonde girl while she rode out her rocking orgasm, sobbing the girl's name repeatedly while the waves wracked her body over and over again.

Quinn, at the sound of Rachel's ecstasy, found her own body shaking…fingers still embedded in the girl as her juices flooded her panties, her forehead stuck to her lovers while sweat encased them both.

Heavy breathing was the only sound that filled the heat adorned space and Quinn pressed her lips to that of Rachel's sweetly tasting the spent brunette, and resting her free hand in the bed of silk waves.

"I need you…" Quinn said the words softly, the vibrations good against Rachel's lips…maybe with more conviction that Rachel had earlier said it with.

"I'm just…scared."

"I know, and we'll deal...later." Rachel whispered before moving the luscious mouth over that of her lovers bring both her hands to cup her face while she did so, and Quinn made the movement of removing her other hand but Rachel hissed.

"Stay…please…"

And Quinn stared at the big brown orbs, that seemed to be pleading for her existence.

"I want you to stay for as long as possible…please."

So then Quinn rested her hand in the curve of Rachel's heat as if her hand was specifically made for that position.

They sat like that, on the desk…a tangled mess of half clothed, sweaty, lovers who couldn't keep their hands off of each other.

Minds filled with worry were banned from this gorgeous moment, only unworried expressions of desire and meaningful kisses tainted the air, and Quinn allowed herself to just feel…

Everything.

**A/N: Wow…so…I'm totally just beginning with these two, haha! Hoped you enjoyed…that was officially my first femslash smut moment…hope it didn't suck.**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	6. No Escape From Reality

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Okay! I'm back and a little excited about how I'm gonna write this story, lol.**

**But forewarning, I might have to delete my fan fiction account which will result in me either getting a new one or posting on live journal.**

**But you don't have to worry about that til' September! **

**BTW: This chapter is named after a line in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". Fell in love with the song recently!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Please, I would have seduced Dianna Agron into being my ****wife by now. And then she'd be ****my ****baby mama. It's all written down somewhere in my plans for world domination, but I haven't gotten around to it yet, so sadly, no I don't own it. **

Chapter 6

Sometime's the best reactions came from your closest friends, but then again depending on the personality of the friend in question it could be the best...or worst reaction.

For instance, for one Quinn Fabray the case was worse, when it came to a certain Latina finding out about certain events that took place in the office a mere week ago, which she successfully dodged telling her about.

It might have been a bad idea to reveal the story at a table at their favorite coffee shop, too.

Because when Quinn got to the part in the tale where she "kind of" slept with Rachel Berry, Santana basically sprayed the table next to them with the cappuccino she was sipping on prior to the information.

"You kind of slept with her? What the fuck did you do that for, you moron?" Santana sputtered, grabbing a napkin to dab her mouth with while Quinn allowed a laugh to escape her lips at the sight.

"It just…happened."

"I'm calling bullshit, now give me a real answer Fabray." She spoke immediately cutting Quinn off, and the blonde darted her eyes across the room to scan the pictures on the wall.

"Hello, Q?" The brunette snapped her fingers to catch the dazed tattoo artist who lazily allowed her eyes to match those of Santana's.

"Can I get back to you on that?"

* * *

"Rachel Caroline Berry!"

"Oh hell to the no!"

Now here was a different scenario completely, the voice of one equally scandalized Kurt Hummel and Mercedes Jones, when the climax came of Rachel's own reveal of why she was still just a little sore…a week later.

They were sitting, both with their legs crossed wine glasses in hand in her newly furnished living room with rosy cheeks and shocked expressions.

Kurt, the label's newly hired choreographer and vocal coach, and Mercedes Jones, the platinum selling recording artist, who doubled as Rachel's friends lounged on her sofa like this every day since she moved in.

Mr. Kurt Hummel himself had been informed of one Rachel's mission to be in L.A. and his significant desire to be of any help should she need it. And well, Mercedes of course came along with the deal…considering she was signed to the label Rachel was taking over.

It was all so convenient.

They had been anticipating her arrival, and she invited them over to her newly purchased and fully furnished home, to tell them about her run-in with Quinn Fabray.

"You let her get the goodies in the office? On the desk? Damn girl…" Mercedes commented taking a long swig of her drink and Kurt snickered causing Rachel to roll her eyes as she continued with her task of hanging and setting up pictures as she talked.

"I'm am just so shocked at you, Ms. Hotpants! I'm trying to figure out if this is the same Rachel Berry I went to high school with!" The boy spoke with his hand on his chest in genuine surprise.

Rachel let a small blush take over her face.

"I was thinking the same about Quinn…she's different you guys, she's still outspoken and strong just like I fell in love with but…afraid, closed off you know?" She said and she stood on her tiptoes to place the frame on top of the tall white fireplace she was trying to fill.

"Quinn was always closed off, ever since she gave Beth to your mom, Rachel. She's probably being cautious about feelings." Mercedes mused.

"She certainly isn't cautious about certain…_urges, _hmm?" Kurt spoke and Mercedes joined him in giggles.

Rachel shook her head.

"It was my fault…I pushed her over the edge, but to be honest I was just trying to get a rise out of her, she wasn't giving me any kind of actual answers." Rachel spoke indignantly, trying to defend her actions in a small way.

"That sounds like a wonderful way to get answers, Ms. Rachel." Kurt mused.

"Yes, tell us how many answers did you get?" Mercedes added, an eyebrow raised in questioning.

Rachel spun to face them both, her hands on her hips. She had the signature Rachel Berry look of pre-rant.

"I'll have you both know that Quinn and I figured out that we need to have a severe and elongated discussion in which we discuss our misdirected feelings and misunderstood actions of displaying these feelings, and we intend on filling out that presumption…I don't know when, but I'm sure we will meet up soon, to handle things." She finished with a huff and the two divas shared a look with a meaningful eye roll.

"You lost me at discussion, to be honest." Kurt declared.

"Well, moving along here, let's get to the most important part of the whole damn subject," Mercedes interjected.

"Which would be?"

"How was it?"

* * *

"Is that really what you're asking me?" Quinn spoke, a look of disbelief on her face at the Latina who seemed most interested in everything that involved the impromptu events that took place in the office.

"Quinn answer the damn question!"

"Okay yes! I'm scared to be rejected by Rachel." She spoke, and she ran her hand through her golden locks nervously.

Santana grinned. "You told her too. Didn't you? You're such a moron!" She said shaking her head.

"We're on a path of discovery or some shit, San. I needed to tell her…"

"Yeah after you fucked her brains out," She deadpanned taking a sip of java from her cup and enjoying the squirm reflex evident in all of Quinn's features.

"Shut up S! It's all about being honest, and that shouldn't have happened…I shouldn't have let her push me over the edge to do that to her, it was unprofessional, and totally unromantic." Quinn added as an afterthought.

"Kimberly says most of the shop was cleared…but she didn't appreciated the show you guys gave her."

Quinn's eyes widened at Santana's declaration and the Latina laughed at the expression clouding her features.

"And to answer your question? Yes you're right, it is all about being honest. But why would you be scared of rejection from Rachel? She fucking moved here for you…"

It weighed heavy on Quinn's mind now, the sacrifice being made.

"Exactly, that's a lot to do just to be near one person San, what if this just ends all badly? What if she hurts me? Or I hurt her?"

"What if it works out?" Santana inquired and Quinn had to claw away the itch for a cigarette.

In times like these, with stupid but burning question sessions, the cancer sticks encouraged her brain to think realistically and rationally.

Santana Lopez was a different type of cancer stick.

She actually would make you consider every possibly scenario. And if you were set on one outcome she was set on making you hopeful for another. But to be honest, when it came to this, this tangled attachment that Quinn was most definitely not used to talking about outside of the confines of her mind, she couldn't chance hoping for another. She wanted…needed to know.

"I mean, you saw her S. She's classy…she's elegant. She wears these careful coordinated outfits…you can tell." She spoke remembering the suit that hugged the curves prior to the unclothing of the brunette.

"Yeah, a serious long way from the shit she used to wear in high school, now she actually looks like a woman, and not a kindergarten teacher slash toddler." Santana spoke her eyes hard at the revelation.

Quinn had to laugh a little happily at the memory of the hideous argyle ensembles Rachel would craft together to appear in school with.

"Yeah she was sort of fashionably retarded…"

"Sort of?" Santana spoke laughing loudly and Quinn joined her.

It was a nice moment to remember some time ago when she could sit in Rachel's room and contemplate taking all those outfits and just tossing them…except for the skirts.

She had a thing for the skirts.

But didn't everyone?

"So…" Santana started, cutting her eyes to glance at Quinn suggestively and the blonde rolled her eyes knowing her best friend all too well.

"I already know what you're about to ask me…"

"…How tight was she?"

* * *

"I will not disclose the information of our intimate moments with you two housewives!" Rachel spoke, nose perfectly arched in the air, moving to add more frames of snapshots to the space that desperately needed filling.

"Bitch, what you two did was not intimate!" Mercedes accused pointing a manicured fingernail at the scandalous brunette, Kurt just sipped his wine in agreement.

"That was pure animalistic, _fucking_." He spoke with a certain purr to his voice which Rachel could have sworn got more unmistakable with the number of glasses of wine.

She faced her cackling friends, grabbing her own glass of wine.

"Quinn and I just had a moment of passion…and we misjudged our proper timing and placement-"

"Bullshit Rachel Berry! You pissed off the new angry-all-the-time tattooed and pierced Quinn Fabray and she started teasing the kitty and you probably all but begged her to scratch that familiar itch for you, when you saw how sexy she was!" Kurt called and Rachel had to admit, no matter how tipsy he was…he was right.

Possessiveness had always been a major turn on for Rachel and when her blonde love had appeared to be a little on the possessive side for her that day, her body betrayed her class and surroundings.

She felt herself get hot under the collar at the memories of bodies and skin and contact, and promptly took a long drag of her drink.

"Girl, I'm gonna take that gulp of wine you just had as a yes." Mercedes answered on her behalf and Rachel couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips when the two shared a high five.

* * *

"Santana, you're such a fucking sex addict." Quinn declared with a smirk and the Hispanic girl seemed undeterred by the comment made.

"You know it! But can you blame me for being curious as to Rachel freaking Berry's ability to be good in the sack?" the tanned girl questioned and Quinn rolled her hazel eyes.

"Yes. And you'll just have to be curious. I don't kiss and tell."

"Since when?"

"Since I started actually sleeping with someone I want."

"You're such a bitch."

"Why thank you, I get that a lot." Quinn said flashing a smile and pressing her palm to her chest in a glamorous fashion.

The Latina rolled her eyes, whipping out her phone to scroll down the pages in an obvious boredom state.

"Blah, blah, blah…sometimes I get really bored with being a lawyer." She said in a monotone.

Quinn just shook her head and allowed her eyes to travel to those of an obvious smitten waitress who trying and failing to be subtle in the slightest.

Her eyes were trained on Quinn's arm, and the broadcasted piece there, and she smiled at the blonde, letting her eyes rake the exposed skin of Quinn's stomach and pierced belly button.

Quinn bit her lip, subconsciously, unconsciously knowing it was affecting the poor girl for she tripped over her own feet and lost a coffee mug to the floor, further embarrassing herself to the blonde she was hoping to impress. Quinn watched the skinny girl drop to her knees to retrieve all the broken glass.

_Cute._

"Check this out, Fabray."

And her eyes moved from the futile shopgirl to rake that of Santana's touch screen.

It revealed some sort of celebrity news site. The headline was a picture of a large home located in L.A., that looked like it cost way more than it needed to, there was a nice little caption under the greatly captured picture and Quinn allowed her eyes to scan through it.

'_Two time Tony award winning actress, and four time Grammy winning singer/songwriter Rachel Berry purchases three story two million dollar home in L.A., moving in town to take a break from performing. She will make her business home at Universal Records, taking on the role of President. Berry went on record to say that she's "looking forward to taking the label into new directions and only hopes to add to it's impending success." Berry has a degree in Music Engineering and also a Masters in business, and is obviously comfortably making the transition from entertainer to leader.'_

Quinn let her eyes rake over the candid photo of the short brunette entering said large home as she finished the article, and Santana pulled her phone back.

"Looks like you've got your hands full Q. This is a very famous and important woman." Santana spoke with a smirk on her face.

Quinn could only nod silently. She was well aware of the success and obvious caliber Rachel was cast into. She knew…it was part of her jitters. Why would a tortured tattooed soul such as her even think of going after six time award winning superstar, and now president Rachel Berry.

The gold star.

* * *

Rachel had shooed her buddies out of her home, promising a lunch gathering soon, retreating to the office of her home and settling on the computer to do just a little more research on her tattooed lover.

Puck had told her of Quinn's refusal to take her mother's money to start up her profitable business and of how she would much rather get a loan from the bank and do it herself.

She didn't need her mother's money, just as she had declared.

She proved to be quite the tattoo artist. It appeared that she opened her first shop in L.A., and from there managed to branch out in different areas.

Her favorite was West Hollywood, closest to home, obviously.

Noah had also informed her that she would not look identical to her appearance in high school and Rachel was prepared for that, for she didn't look identical to herself in high school.

She was naturally expecting Quinn to look a little different.

She wasn't expecting the goddess she had been pressed up against a week ago, with her multiple tattoos and pierced nose and belly button, and grown out long blonde locks.

She wasn't expecting her cutoff shorts and extra small tank tops, she certainly was a direct opposite to Rachel.

And somehow the brunette found herself falling into the abyss that was the girl.

She looked at the pictures of her lover from a couple of news sites, and Rachel could bet the blonde didn't even know she was being followed. One even had a story, but it was obviously from a while back.

'_Acclaimed tattoo artist Quinn Fabray arrives at her West Hollywood home with her left arm wrapped securely in bandages, and our guts are telling us that maybe she's nesting a new creation. Our ink junkie seems to be doing successful with opening a new shop in New York this past weekend, rumor has it that TLC has offered her a T.V. show twice already, but that she has declined both times.' _

The candid shots of Quinn sunglasses perched over her hazel eyes shielding the beauty's from the rays of the sun while her long blonde locks swayed perfectly in the wind seemed like they were almost planned with the gorgeous film of the camera.

Rachel spent a moment just staring at the beauty that was the blonde bombshell she was in love with.

How was she gonna tame this gorgeous Aphrodite?

And it seemed her phone was coordinating itself with her thoughts, because it rang promptly on time with the finished thought bringing Rachel out of her reverie.

She picked up the way to expensive cell phone that the record label had provided her with and raised her eyebrows as a new text waited for her.

_Lunch? -Quinn_

Rachel couldn't help the smile that graced her lips.

_Sandwich shop on West and 4th__, ten minutes. Do not be late, it irritates me. -Rachel_

She stood upon replying and started her search for more proper clothes, for this occasion, that she so delightfully had received an invitation to.

_I wouldn't dream of irritating you, the queen of irritation. -Quinn_

Rachel rolled her eyes and tapped a quick response before leaving the phone to it's spot on her desk.

_Just be at the shop, smartass. -Rachel_

* * *

Rachel entered her favorite spot for food with the sight of a crossed legged Quinn Fabray, sipping a soda and bouncing her heeled foot. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and faintly made Rachel venture back to high school.

She pulled her shawl from her body and wrapped around the back of the chair as she took a seat across from the blonde.

"You were on time." Rachel stated, leaning her body over the table, and the blonde raised an eyebrow at the girl's posture.

"You were late." Quinn replied, a toothpick being twiddled between her fingertips.

Rachel raises an eyebrow at the blonde's declaration upon her arrival and only smirks in response.

She let's her gaze rake over the exposed face of Quinn, save for the bangs sweeping her forehead and takes in the sight.

"Plan on telling me about your new two million dollar home?"

"You'll see it soon, I'm sure."

"I'm not that easy Berry." Quinn stated, sipping from her cup once more. And Rachel smirked at the remark.

"I meant I'd probably give you a tour soon, but either way works for me…" She trailed and she licked her lips at the hooded look tossed her way from the blonde.

"Is there any substance of meaning to this meeting?" Rachel asked since the girl seemed intent on not replying.

"You seem to keep forgetting that there is business to get done, requiring this so called "tattoo" you want me to do for you." Quinn said setting her cup of liquid down next to her now folded hands matching her eyes to the really close brunette.

"I have been distracted." Rachel responded letting her eyes trail from the small amount of cleavage being exposed from Quinn all the way to the twirling toothpick between her fingertips.

"I can see." Quinn spoke following her gaze.

The brunette locked eyes with the artist and smiled sheepishly at her, but then she remembered…there was an actual point to her finding the acclaimed tattoo champ.

"Do you even really want a tattoo Rachel?" Quinn asked a incredulous look on her features.

"I actually do, nothing big and extravagant like that gorgeous piece on your arm, just something simple, and sweet just like me. I'm not into anything huge and complicated-"

"Says the girl who talks like a human dictionary and just bought a two million dollar mansion." Quinn smirked and tried to not allow her foot to trail up the expanse of the other girl's leg.

"I'm going to disregard your insult towards my intelligence and well expanded vocabulary, like I was saying…I just want something simple."

"Words or a picture?"

"Words…actually."

Quinn nodded, words were always the easiest. The only thing to be decided was if you wanted a certain design to them, and what font you needed.

"Well what do you want it to say? A name? A phrase? A verse?" Quinn said intrigued at what the seemingly straight laced Rachel Berry would want permanently tainted on her body.

"Actually…I want…just a word…actually."

"Which would be?"

"'Faithfully'."

Quinn's eyes widened and she stared at the girl with honest disbelief. How could she possibly make this decision and not expect a sense of anger from Quinn.

The blonde leaned forward, swallowing. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm connected to the song, Quinn, it has nothing to do with you-"

Quinn slammed her hands down on the table surface in anger. "The hell it doesn't Rachel. Is this supposed to flatter me in some sort of sick way? You have no idea why I did my tattoo, you have no idea of anything!" the blonde spat at the woman and seemed to draw an attention from the entire restaurant.

"Then enlighten me. Tell me about your huge piece Quinn?"

"I can't…Rachel-"

"Then this conversation is over, I'll find someone else adequate to do the tattoo Quinn, I have my reasons." She stood from the table, grabbed her shawl and exited the shop and it seemed Quinn's brain clicked into place.

She followed the brunette, calling after her.

"Rachel, wait!"

The brunette turned tiredly to face the girl whom she was so totally in love with and was met with the eyes of a sorrowful person.

"I'm…I'm sorry about what happened in the office…I lost control."

"I'm not sorry Quinn. And I know you lost control, I know what I'm doing, just let me." Rachel pleaded and here they were again, outside on this sidewalk begging each other to understand.

Quinn stepped closed to her and lowered her eyes. "Give me some time, I'll tell you about my tattoo…I will."

Rachel stood in a state of pondering and wonderment and stared into the eyes of the girl. Finding truth and desperation in them.

She placed her hands on either side of the girl's face and she looked up at her.

"Okay."

Quinn sighed and leaned in to press her lips to the brunette's in contentment, not really sure of the direction they were headed, still.

Tongues mingled lazily with one another before she disengaged from the embrace.

"I want this tattoo on my bikini line, Quinn…" Rachel said softly and Quinn raised her eyebrows at the location before her eyes clouded over.

Rachel, exposed, while she marked her.

Fuck.

She pressed her lips hungrily to the girl once more wrapping her arms around Rachel's waist sliding her hands up her back to hold her neck while she worked her mouth feverishly over hers in a lust filled desperation and fantasy at the thought of tatting her, of being the one, the only one who got to mark her.

Rachel sucked on Quinn's bottom lip, biting softly into the flesh before letting her tongue inside the crevice of her mouth to have relations with Quinn's. The moved like that, a un-choreographed dance that seemed well scripted. Pushed against each other with a passion that the outside world couldn't even touch.

Rachel allowed her hands to slide down Quinn's neck, down her shirt, and then under the material to feel the bare breasts, to flick her thumbs over the pert nipples simultaneously, earning a moan from the blonde.

"Fuck, Rachel…we're on the sidewalk…"

"Then get me off this sidewalk."

Quinn backed her backwards into the alley between the sandwich shop and the bookshop, back in the shadows where they were hidden by the darkness and shut off place, but could be seen so easily.

Rachel turned them so Quinn was up against the brick wall, her mouth never leaving the confines of her own, while her hands found themselves quickly undoing the button of her shorts and inching themselves past the waist of her panties.

Quinn pulled her mouth away from the girl to cry out at the contact of the girl's cold fingers and her dripping sex.

"Fuck Quinn…you're soaking." Rachel spoke, and she tantalizingly caressed her slit with precision earning a desperate squirming from the blonde who was so eager to be fucked, to overwhelmed with the presence of the shorter brunette to really focus on the fact that maybe this wasn't a good idea.

"Jesus Rachel, please…"

"Please what?" Rachel teased bringing her lips to the girl's ear a biting it sweetly before moving her mouth downwards to the succulent neck, biting harshly and licking the place, aware of the mark she would probably leave behind.

"Fuck me…now Rachel, right here…please." Quinn begged moaning and grabbing at the girl desperately, running her fingers through her hair, grabbing the brown locks tightly with the contact of her mouth and her neck, and her fingers teasing her clit unashamed.

Rachel pressed a kiss to her neck before she plunged three fingers deep inside the girl without warning and setting a fast pace that had her hitting the girl's spot quickly with a harsh force.

"Fuck Rach…Yes…" She cried out, wrapping one long leg around the shorter girl's waist allowing her sink her fourth finger inside of her quickly causing Quinn to tilt her head back and gasp audibly.

She bucked her hips with the time of Rachel's busy fingers, aware of the girl's breath on her neck and her ponytail falling from it's precise place atop of her head.

"It turns you on, doesn't it? Marking me?"

"Fuck yes…right there Rachel…right there…yes." She moaned, her hands sliding down the shirt of the girl and scraping her fingertips up and down her back causing the brunette to gasp and her panties to grow wet with arousal.

"Shit Quinn…I know…I want you to mark me, only you, because I only want your burn on me, your bruise…permanently." She spoke the words huskily feeling the blonde grip her tightly as she worked herself against her quickly moving fingers with sharp strokes.

"Oh god Rachel…fuck I'm so close, harder, I need it…harder." She panted and the girl brought her hand to her ass gripping the flesh to slam against her finger even harder, now controlling both forces at a rapid speed.

"Hard…like that?" She questioned rhetorically watching the blonde's face contort in pleasure as she gripped the girl almost tighter than she had before, placing one hand behind her on the brick wall.

"Fuck, yes! Right there, right there Rachel…fuck me, oh god…oh Jesus fucking Christ…" Rachel smirked at her lover, knowing she was a talker…a screamer.

She was aware of the fact that she was directly hitting the girl's spot with each thrust she ensued and it only made her nether regions swell wider with intimacy.

"Take it Quinn, take it…" Rachel trailed pressing her lips to the girls, if only to muffle the erratic sounds coming from her lips at unknown speed.

But they barely did it, for when the brunette flicked her thumb over the girl's sensitive nub, it all came crashing down.

"I'm coming, fuck Rachel yes! Fuck!"

Quinn was aware of the stars behind her eyes as she tumbled over the edge crying out, halfway muffled by Rachel's kiss the rest of her rant reduced to incoherent cries of erotic climax.

Rachel felt herself unravel with the feel of Quinn's lips on hers and let out a small moan of approval at the relief, while the girl gripped her close to her, holding her head in place as she moved her lips eagerly over hers and dominated her mouth with her tongue.

And without word, Rachel pulled her hand from the girl's sensitive slit and replaced Quinn's lips with her middle finger, sucking the juices from her lips with ease, earning a moan from the clouded and still dazed blonde.

And upon the sound, the brunette allowed her pointer finger to slide past the girl's lips and the tongue of Quinn flicked over the finger, sucking greedily like a baby sucking on a mother's nipple.

She held the hand of Rachel, and took the ring and pinky too, lapping her own juices from the girl's hands with an arousal at the taste.

Rachel watched with hooded eyes and snatched her hand from her mouth before slamming her mouth on the girl's again, running her fingers down her chest and all the way to her thigh which still kept it's home around her waist, she buried her mouth in the girl's neck polishing her mark she had made before dipping to pepper kissed on her exposed chest before looking up at her through clouded eyes.

"We'll start designing tomorrow, I'll pick you up from the office at 1." Quinn spoke softly and Rachel was aware of the fact that there was actual life going on around them now, and that they were back in an alley now tainted with the privacy of their lovemaking.

She let her fingers caress the lips they had just been slid past and licked her lips before smiling.

"Do not be late, it irritates me."

"Wouldn't dream of doing that."

**A/N: That smut kind of slipped out, is that possible?**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	7. All That's Known

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Whoa! I'm churning out chapters like crazy lol but I seriously couldn't resist your enthusiastic response to this chapter and it seems that it only fuels my desire to write these two…seriously. **

**BTW: This chapter is named once again after the song from "Spring Awakening" My favorite musical at the moment. **

**Disclaimer: Please, I would have seduced Dianna Agron into being **_**my **_**wife by now. And then she'd be **_**my **_**baby mama. It's all written down somewhere in my plans for world domination, but I haven't gotten around to it yet, so sadly, no I don't own it. **

Chapter 7

Rachel was fantastic at basically everything.

She was a fantastic student, a fantastic friend, a fantastic performer and a fantastic lover.

She was good with just about anything…numbers, lyrics, memorization. Basically everything it possibly took for her to succeed in the profession she had carefully mapped out for herself.

She was good at planning things.

For instance, getting the woman she loved back. That was also another thing she was a master at; being honest and of course,

Being gay.

And she was planning and mapping out Quinn's position in her very busy life, in her life built by her for her, because it wasn't as fantastic and she definitely wasn't as fantastic as she could have been without the company of that gorgeous blonde, of that phenomenal woman.

However, she wasn't mapping Quinn Fabray out to be as a big of a distraction as she was becoming.

She had been at the offices of Universal records for a rare week, and she had found balance. She had took charge and rectified things to a certain way, for her liking.

But coming into work with the feel of fingertips touching you…marking your body with a message that was unknown to anyone that didn't hold your names and your presence did things to the brunette, made those numbers confusing, and the lyrics became vague.

The routine was off.

She found herself clearing her schedule after the hour of one o'clock, but couldn't bring her brain from the time and events that would be taking place.

She was firm in her decision about the tattoo. She did indeed have her own reasons of why she needed the ink engraved on her skin, if only a little dishonest about the actuality of the situation.

There was a reason, and there was a love for the song, but it had everything to do with Quinn.

She was intoxicated by the arm of her lover and the deep and inviting ink that covered the surface of her skin. She was curious as to where the fuel from that particular fire came from, but was catching on thanks to the closed off demeanor of the blonde.

Sitting at her large desk in her large office with her heeled feet propped on the glass surface, she closed her eyes, letting them drift to the expanse of a time when nothing was ever complicated, when things were easy.

But then, she remembered.

From the time she laid her eyes on Quinn things were never easy. From slushie attacks, to undying and seemingly illegal feelings for the blonde, she found herself struggling with a truly difficult situation from the start.

But that was no surprise, Quinn Fabray was known to be difficult.

And she couldn't help herself but to think that now in different times, the girl would be ready. She hoped that now she would be over her fears and ready to declare her want for the brunette, but of course as fate would have it, she was wrong about that.

And some thought that the brunette couldn't feel, that she had her career and talent to fall back on, that she most definitely did not need Quinn to reciprocate the feelings that were dealt unto the blonde, but they were wrong.

Her talent and career didn't feel the empty void that Quinn left. Her talent didn't keep her warm at night, or wipe her tears away.

She needed Quinn.

And it was hard to fathom on the outside looking in at the songstress that she had a care in the world about the former cheerleader and friend. It was hard to fathom that she had an intense burning in her system that only ached worse when the blonde wasn't in her arms or when she thought about the fact that blonde wouldn't be with her soon.

But it was there.

The need was prominent, the female was like a necessity for living in the brunette's world.

As a matter of fact, she was her world.

There was no Rachel without Quinn.

Without Quinn there was just this talented, wealthy woman with nothing to look forward to. Nothing to go home to, nothing or no one to love openly.

She would be reduced to a silent lover, someone who sat by and let their true love live without the knowledge of the partner's unknown devotion.

It wasn't Rachel Berry at all.

She was not a coward.

But it was a tough demeanor to keep, when rejection from the most important person about the most important thing was so near. It was hard to not be a coward when the challenge was so thick and solid.

But then again, it wasn't Rachel Berry to back down from a thick and solid challenge such as this one either.

Especially when the reward consisted of a blonde, tattooed woman whom she had been in love with for a series of years.

When the taste of her skin, and the feel of her touch was in your grasp, when you could practically feel her gathered in your arms from the last spontaneous moment of embrace, you found yourself restless and less fantastic than you were before you found a way to get her back.

Because now, you could get her back.

And you just had to be less fantastic in reality, less fantastic when it came to less meaningful things, in order to be more successful and greatly fantastic when it came to your desire, your fetish, your fantasy.

Your love.

"Ms. Berry?"

A voice snapped her from her train of thought and she looked up to see the bright eyes of her secretary smiling at her, from the crease of her now open doorway.

She always had been such a happy optimistic woman.

That's why she had the label hire her. She was optimistic, nothing but an outsider to the trials of reality, what Rachel used to be, and that's why Rachel needed her so badly.

"Yes, Laura? And please I told you, you can always enter my office, and you can always call me Rachel." The brunette spoke, taking her legs from the elevated position they had been comfortably occupying.

The red headed woman blushed and further entered the office, holding the door open with her palm.

"Sorry, Ms…I mean, _Rachel_. I didn't really need anything, I just wanted to inform you that there is a Shelby Corcoran calling from Lima, Ohio…she says she's your mother."

Rachel allowed the wide smile to dim from her features for a moment at the announcement and it seemed Laura noticed the change in demeanor. For she cowered, a little unsure of her presence at the less jubilant stance of the president.

"Thanks for letting me know Laura, you may leave now…" Rachel responded curtly offering a short smile to the girl to reassure her obviously frightened mind.

The girl left with a nod and when the door to the office was shut promptly, Rachel allowed herself to pick up the phone with only a little hesitance.

"Shelby."

"Hi, Rachel…I'm sorry to call you at your new job but I wanted to see how you were doing? Is this a bad time? Because I could call back…Beth was just dying to talk to you about everything in California…she's jumping into this "tween stage" a little too quickly if you ask me…"

Rachel couldn't fight the smile from her features then at the mention of her little companion. You could hardly call her a sister at the fact that Rachel could hardly call her mother a mom. But the girl had a piece of Quinn, and it made her near to the brunette's heart.

"No, actually…I'm not busy at all, I'm just waiting for one o'clock to get here a little sooner." Rachel spoke absentmindedly and she let her eyes look at the photo taken of her and her mother, from her high school graduation.

"Got a hot date for lunch?" Shelby joked awkwardly and Rachel grinned, her mother was still getting used to having a relationship with her daughter trying her best to keep up with her as best as she possibly could. And upon learning of her heart's desire, the mother of her adopted daughter, she was trying even harder to make things as less complicated as possible.

Trying meant, slowly succeeding, you know?

"Yeah…she's pretty hot alright, if you mean feisty and stubborn with an attitude that would rival any diva any day…" Rachel ratted off playfully and Shelby laughed.

"So I'm assuming you've met up with the infamous Quinn Fabray."

"It was such a pleasure, catching up with her…as always it only ended up disaster," Rachel offered, hoping that was as much detail as she would be forced to offer.

"Well...?"

"Well what?"

"Is that it? It ended in disaster? If it ended in disaster, how could you possibly be having a lunch date with her today?" Shelby questioned and Rachel realized where her persistence arrived from.

"I managed to rectify the situation." Rachel said twirling a pen idly through her fingers hoping her mother would stop while she was ahead.

But if you spawned the most inquisitive child in the world it was only natural that you be just as inquisitive.

"How did you Rachel Caroline, rectify the situation if you pissed her off when you met up with her?"

"Well I didn't piss her off at first…there was just a lot of unanswered questions and I may have been a little frazzled and got ahead of myself-"

"You pushed."

"I most certainly did not push!"

"Rachel, you came from me, and there is only one reason why people get pissed off at people like us: we're pushers."

Silence engulfed the two of them, before Rachel responded.

"Okay, so I might have pushed a little…but I love her." the brunette spoke sitting straight up in her chair, placing her hand on her thigh in earnest, as if she had never made this declaration to her mother before…but it was nerve-wracking each time she let someone else know how she was struggling, with this…Quinn Fabray.

"I know sweetheart."

"But it's clear, Shelby. It's so clear now more than ever. Everytime I look at her, I just want to hold her, I want to tell her how much I need her…and I can't do that because she won't let me in."

"Rachel, maybe she needs time…"

"I'm sure nine years was enough time." Rachel spat sternly and quickly reprimanded herself for using that tone.

"How are you even sure she's felt the same way about you for that long of a time?" Shelby challenged, and Rachel almost was offended at the way the woman spoke the words.

"I do mom…I do. Ever since graduation…I saw it in her eyes. I just want her to say it." Rachel pleaded, not sure if she was pleading with herself or her mother or even god.

"She will. But you have to understand. She's lost a lot of things in her life, she's sacrificed a lot of things in her life. And her reasoning may not be understandable to you, but it's understandable to her…and you have to respect that."

"Even if it's wrong, and sucks?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes, you big baby." Shelby laughed. The brunette smiled at the sound, this was a moment she would have to remember. Her mother was actually being…a mother.

"If she loves you and needs you as much as you think…she'll come around in time, she'll give you want you want. Because she'll want to make you happy. And if she's anything like the wonderful baby she gave birth to, she'll love you with her whole heart and do anything to see you happy." Shelby stated with a firm tone, so firm that Rachel had no other choice but to smile and believe the woman.

"Okay."

"Okay…on a slightly different note…how did she react to the picture?" Shelby questioned nervously.

Rachel remembered the look on her lover's face, the missing and the happiness at seeing the daughter she gave birth to growing and healthy.

"She thought she was beautiful…she misses her, has her name tattooed on the back of her neck."

Shelby hummed at the information.

"Rachel, if you can…"

"I know. I'll ask." She knew what the question was, and she knew how important it was for the answer to that question to be 'yes'. But it would take time…and lots of explaining.

"Thank-you."

There was some shuffling going on in the background before a voice was heard.

"Mom, is that Rachel?"

"Someone wants to talk to you-"

"Rachel?" An excited voice questioned replacing that of her mother's and Rachel smiled.

"Hi, Beth!" She answered earning an excited squeal from the twelve year old blonde whom she had come to love.

"Oh my god, I've been telling all my friends about how you live in L.A., they all think it's so cool! Do you meet any celebrities? Well of course you do, because you're a celebrity!"

Oh yeah, she was most definitely hitting the tween stage hard.

"I wouldn't say I'm a celebrity Beth, I'm still same old Rachel." She stated, which was what she always stated when the little girl gushed over her fame. It was a truth she liked to state to herself and to anyone else who would listen.

"Well of course, you're my Rachel! Only with a twist in the form of a superstar! Listen to this, my teacher told me that I couldn't sign my name with a gold star anymore. How outrageous is that? I told him that it was a metaphor, and that the infamous Rachel Berry became a star by using this very same metaphor, and he actually tried to report me to the principal's office. I then just calmly stated about my mother's status on the school board and how I could have them all fired if they tried to refuse me my ability to express myself."

She spoke all of it in one huff and Rachel couldn't deny the heartwarming feeling of the influence she had on the little girl.

"That is truly horrifying. Should I make a special call and alert them of the true discrimination against you and threaten to take our story to the press? My two gay dads will contact the ACLU immediately if necessary."

"I told them all of that. And I won my case, they agreed to let me express myself and I am now satisfied. Until the next slip up of those Neanderthals. I swear they have no absolute clue how to run a school." Beth finished expertly and she sounded identical to Rachel, only with a voice identical to her mother's.

"Beth, Rachel has to get back to work." Shelby reprimanded firmly from the background.

"Okay, I miss you Rachel…"

"I miss you too honey." Rachel spoke sadly into the phone, not one pleased with the girl's sadness.

"You'll come visit soon?" The girl asked hopefully and Rachel had to grin at the prospect of going back to Lima to spend some quality time with her family.

"You have my word."

"Okay, love you, bye!"

"Bye Beth, love you too!" Rachel called into the phone with a fond smile, after some more shuffling she was met with the voice of her mother once more.

"She's growing up to be just like you, isn't she?" Shelby offered and Rachel laughed.

"Unfortunately for Lima…"

"Yes, unfortunately. I've got to go, Rachel. Thanks for finding time to talk to us, I know we're becoming less important in your busy schedule."

"Never too busy for a conversation with my mother and Beth."

Rachel smiled letting her eyes wander to the clock to find that it was twelve forty five. Excitement flooded her veins at the revelation and she licked her lips in hydration for the sudden dryness of her mouth.

"I love you, and thanks again."

"Love you too, bye."

She hung up the phone with her mother, with a strange feeling of confidence filling her system.

That almost never happened when it came to conversations with the woman. She was always left with a feeling of emptiness and longing that she tried not to elaborate on.

But now was not the time to start.

Quinn would be there soon, and she wanted to be free of guilt and any signs of emptiness. She wanted to be back to the new Rachel Berry of tomorrow.

Not the Rachel Berry of yesterday.

* * *

Quinn Fabray stood in the elevator leading her up to the twenty second floor of the Universal Studio's building.

She was feeling, as well as looking, out of place.

Dressed in an almost illegally tight pair of skinny jeans and very revealing tube top, she let the thought pass through her mind that maybe she should have dressed a little bit more conservative.

But then she returned back to her body.

She was Quinn Fabray, who gave a shit?

When the doors opened and she was met with the floor of her desire, she let the toothpick sink between the spaces of her teeth, briefly remembering her mother reprimanding her for the particular habit when she was younger.

She yanked the toothpick from her mouth's warmth as she stepped up to the receptionist's desk, and let her eyes scan over the name plate.

Laura.

She was cute.

Kind of like that waitress from the coffee shop…she was cute.

Laura was on the phone, seemingly a little perturbed by the person on the other line, who refused to take the words that poor Laura was attempting to give them.

"Yes sir…I understand sir, but Ms. Berry isn't available at the moment…she's actually in a meeting with an important client…yes sir I know how important it is for you to talk to her but I can't put you through-"

Quinn grinned at the sound of the line going dead and the girl shook her head as she carefully sat the phone down back on the dock. Quinn sat her elbows on the surface of the front desk and grinned.

"Hi."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Is there something I can do for you?" Laura asked just now sensing the face of Quinn waiting expectantly.

"I'm here to see Rachel."

"Do you have an appointment?" The flustered girl questioned and Quinn grinned, she leaned upwards to peer down at the laptop that seem to hold the "appointments".

"You could say that."

Laura's blue eyes met Quinn's hazel ones and understanding dawned on them.

"Are you here to take Rachel to lunch?"

"And then some." Quinn said with a short smirk, feeling more than confident than she had anticipated feeling.

The girl rose from her seat and smiled. "Well I'll just go get her personally, if you'll excuse me-"

But before either girl could make a move the double doors to the office that dear Laura was guarding opened to reveal the gold star of Rachel Berry herself in true gold star fashion.

"It's simple, platinum sales or we will be letting you go from your contract. Sitting idle by and spending this label's money unnecessarily is not what being an artist is about. Being an artist is about entertaining your audience and making a good view for your fans to support and look up to. You've have most definitely done neither." The fiery brunette spoke, her heels clicking on the marble floor as she turned from her rant to face the prima Donna she was speaking to.

"And please remove your sunglasses, it is very disrespectful, especially to the person who signs your paycheck."

The diva seemed to be slowly getting more infuriated by the moment and Rachel didn't take any notice to it.

However, Rachel continued to be as presidential as possible.

"You just walk in here after a week and think you can talk to me like that? Do you know _who I am_?" The girl spoke outraged by the tone and attitude being thrown at her. And Rachel seemed equally outraged, not even noticing Quinn standing behind her watching her every move.

It was quite interesting, two divas going head to head.

"Of course, I know exactly _who you are_. Your last album flopped, everywhere. Let's get something straight. Regardless of how long I have been here I will be here for a very considerate amount of time and through that amount of time I will be rectifying many unsettled circumstances, including unsuccessful artists who have made themselves think that after their one hit wonder that they can call out demands to the person that signed them when they just had potential and nothing else," Rachel placed both of her hands on her hips and stared the insufferable woman down, and then she surprised every person in the room.

She snatched the sunglasses from the girl's face.

"I told you to the take the fucking sunglasses off. Now hear me, you will spend the next few months taking vocal lessons and training your body to act like a role model and an artist and not some crazy ass pop singer who does what they want to because they think they can."

She spoke the words low and clear and Quinn swore she could feel the tension filling the room at the showdown taking place.

"And what if I don't?"

"Then your journey at Universal has come to an end." Rachel provided with a raised eyebrow and thrust the sunglasses back into the hands of the infamous woman who huffed without another word and stalked past the brunette.

Rachel turned and followed the girl with her eyes until she entered the elevator and Rachel's attention was deterred to that of Quinn Fabray.

She turned her frown into a nervous smile and Quinn stuck her toothpick back in her mouth as she grinned at the president herself.

"Oh, hello Quinn…I'll be ready in just a moment."

Quinn nodded watching as the cute little Laura retrieved Rachel's jacket and purse from her office and brought it out to her.

"Thank you Laura. Would you do me a favor and call her manager? Make sure he knows about all the substantial adjustments his artist should be making within the next month or so?" the brunette spoke and the president was back, Quinn had figured.

Laura nodded returning to her position at the desk, "And then afterwards, you may leave. I cleared all my other appointments."

"Thank you Ms. Berry."

"It's Rachel Laura, come Quinn." And the blonde found herself steered into the elevator with _The President of Universal Records _Rachel Berry, the in charge and no nonsense woman she had come to fall in love with during high school.

But when those doors closed, the demeanor shifted.

"Hi."

"Hi," Quinn replied with a smile.

Rachel reached up to remove the toothpick from her teeth and stood up on her tip toes to kiss the elevated blonde.

It was less urgent than the others, a soft joining of the lips that only seemed to be a mere brush, but it was savoring and enjoyable all the same.

Quinn pulled away from the embrace, her cheeks flushed red, unsure where the embarrassment arrived from.

"What was that for?"

"Consider it an apology for witnessing the beast of a business woman back there." the shorter woman spoke and her blonde companion rolled her eyes.

"Unnecessary, I spent four years of high school with that same beast, I'm sort of used to her." Quinn teased.

"Hmm, then I owe you an even bigger apology?"

"Certainly, I think I can come up with something later…" Quinn offered and Rachel let her heart flutter with happiness at the prospect of awkwardness and tension that had dissipated in the mere day that they had allowed themselves away from each other.

But it was obvious that all though one type of tension had disappeared another was waiting on the horizon and Quinn could see the dark forming in the barrier of her brunette lover's eyes.

She had been wondering about that actually.

How was she gonna manage to keep her libido at bay when the embrace they shared the day before had been anything but tame. And she was going to be so close to areas that were tempting and the brunette would be practically unclothed…it was too much for the blonde theoretically, and she been attempting to devise a plan on how to avoid ravishing her in the public of her workplace…again.

Quinn took her toothpick back and allowed her eyes to travel to the floors they were passing in earnest before she let her eyes slide back to the brunette.

"Are you positive you want to start this today?"

"Yes, Quinn. I trust you."

"I hope so…this is kind of important, and permanent, I just want you to be sure that it's what you want." Quinn offered, still a little unsure about the choice of tattoo the singer would be acquiring soon.

"Quinn how sure were you when you got yours?"

Quinn bit her lip thinking back to what led to her giant metaphorical piece taking up the skin of her once wholesome arm.

"That was…under different circumstances. It was different…there was a reason behind my piece, I was desperate for that tattoo." Quinn spoke locking her hazel orbs with the chestnut ones of her lover.

Rachel sighed. "In other words, you were pretty sure. And so then, I need you to be understanding that there is a reason for mine as well…and I am sure about this Quinn."

The blonde studied the desperation behind the words and wondered why the singer wanted this so badly, why she was putting the tortured blonde through the struggle she was putting her through. This battle was one Quinn wasn't truly prepared for, but was about to enter head on.

"Okay."

The doors of the elevator opened to reveal the front lobby and Quinn grabbed Rachel's hand quickly to lead her from the spot, turning her head as to miss the content smile that settled on the short brunette's features.

* * *

The bell to the tattoo shop noisily sounded as Quinn lead the way into the establishment.

Rachel followed obediently behind her and smiled at the receptionist and the awaiting customers.

"Quinn there are a couple one clocks scheduled today-"

"John will take them…I've got a rather special appointment to take care of today, and it will be taking a little more than an hour." Quinn stated, her heels clicking as she stalked swiftly past the front desk and passed an open-mouthed John.

"But I told you that I wouldn't be able to take those appointments yesterday, Quinn!" He fired and the blonde stopped her journey right at the glass door leading to the back.

She seemed to be contemplating her response, and then she looked over her shoulder.

"And I told you I didn't care. Deal with it, or lose your job." She cut her eyes to Rachel and the brunette saw the command before the words escaped her lips.

"We're going in the back Rachel. Kim? is Santana back there?"

The receptionist's eyes bolded a little when the Latina was mentioned. "Yes, but Quinn she told me to tell you not to come-"

"Come on Rachel."

The brunette followed quickly trying to hide her whole body under her sunglasses, thankful for the few customers that didn't notice her. The blonde opened the door and allowed her to go first but found herself running into the back of the brunette as she stopped abruptly.

"Oh my…" Rachel muttered.

Quinn looked down confusingly at her lover before she let her eyes travel to the glass window of Santana's office. There usually were curtains shielding it from sight but now the vision into the room was clear and concise.

A blonde and excited Brittany had her head thrown back as an equally excited Santana devoured her neck. Rachel couldn't seem to allow her eyes to leave the sight.

It almost looked identical to the predicament she found herself in with Quinn less than a week ago and she couldn't deny the hot flush that spread down her body as she followed the Latina's hidden hand…which she found buried under the blonde companion's skirt.

Quinn smirked and reached forward from her stance behind Rachel to knock solemnly on the window.

"Hey! Planning on actually having lunch that doesn't involve you sucking on your wife?" Quinn called and Rachel couldn't hide the laughter that filled her body when the Latina jumped at the sound startled and turned with a face hot with anger.

"I'm gonna kick your ass Fabray!"

"Can't wait, Lopez! Let's call this payback." Quinn spoke and Brittany smiled and waved enthusiastically from her position under her wife.

"Hi Rachel, hi Quinn! Are you guys together yet?" She asked innocently and Rachel grinned at the blonde's enthusiasm and happiness.

"Um, no Britt…I'm actually about to go do Rachel's tattoo…so we'll talk to you later." Quinn smiled warmly at the girl and her eyes widened hopefully.

"Ooh! S, I want to see Rachel's tattoo later!" Brittany called and the Latina rolled her eyes.

"We'll see babe, Quinn cut the fucking small talk! I'm kind of horny if you didn't notice!" Santana hissed and when she turned back from her wife it was the first time that Rachel noticed that her hair was down.

"Um, nice to see you again Santana." The brunette squeaked her cheeks red with embarrassment at the predicament.

"Yeah, later Berry."

Quinn pulled her shocked lover from the scene with laughter spilling from her lips. In Rachel's opinion it was the most glorious sound ever heard, and she only wanted to hear more of it.

"Um, do you guys always do that to each other?"

"What? Catch each other in the act and interrupt? Yes, well in her case…she's never caught me.." Quinn trailed and Rachel felt a twist of jealousy fill her body at the thought of Quinn being intimate with someone that wasn't her.

"Oh…you must be very discrete with your um…love affairs." She said quietly, but with a small hint of malice.

Quinn halted at the work room and turned to look down on the shorter girl. "If by very discrete you mean not having sex at all? Then, yeah I guess I'm somewhat discrete."

"You've uh…been abstaining from sex, well you know…before me?"

Quinn smirked, "Let's just say I was waiting on that special someone." and with that the conversation ended as she opened the door revealing a room, seemingly made for Quinn herself.

It was her office, after her office.

There was a lounging seat, black leather in the center of this dimly lit room. There were all these different sketches both colored and black and white covering the walls of the room.

While a sink and a cabinet space adored one corner, there was full length mirror and also several mirrors of different sizes on the other side. There also was a desk and several drawers and things that were taking up a considerable amount of space and Rachel hadn't even realized she was staring until the object of her affection appeared in front of her face brandishing what looked like a hospital gown in front of her.

"Go, change, into this and take one of the washcloths and the soap and thoroughly scrub your lower back…and stop ogling…it's just a room."

"Oh, um…I'm sorry, it just seems kind of…intimate, too intimate to be a room where you draw on people's skin with needles." She spoke inching towards the adjoining bathroom.

Quinn grinned at the brunette.

"Isn't drawing on people's skin with needles, intimate? I always think so…I do better work in here…on the few times that I'll take an appointment that requires this room…they always turn out spectacular." Quinn bragged as she sought out the task of readying her utensils.

The brunette chuckled and Quinn didn't look up as the door closed to the bathroom.

It was all so easy.

When she was clothed, and not writhing under her, or lying naked across her leather chair as she inked her own special mark onto her body…it was all so easy.

But soon, when she came out clad in everything save for that incredibly revealing hospital gown…Quinn would be helpless.

Quinn would have to work exceedingly hard to not let her eyes roam, and more importantly…let her fingers roam, thankfully one of her hands would be occupied with a highly dangerous sharp object so then she would have something to distract her but still…she didn't want to chance it. She didn't want to slip up, not like the last few times.

Underline on few.

"Quinn?"

The once powerful and demanding voice was now timid and made Quinn look up from her attention on her now buzzing needled pen.

Rachel stood shorter than before with her bare feet and tanned legs un hidden by the gown that stopped mid thigh. She was holding the material of the back of the clothing and Quinn knew it was because there was no back to the scrap cloth.

Her hair fell past her shoulder looking as silky and gorgeous as ever and there was a small red tint to her cheeks.

"Where would you like me?"

_Naked and spread on this chair._

"Um…on your stomach…since you want it on your bikini line, yeah, I think that will work." Quinn said swallowing and the brunette made her way over to the cushiony chair, looking nervously at the blonde before she slowly rolled her way onto her stomach.

She was still clutching the material of her dress and Quinn had to grin.

"Rachel, you're going to have to let go of the gown in order for me to start."

She turned, looking a little uncomfortable at her position. "Oh, um well, I guess I could comply to that request…"

Quinn allowed her eyes to roll as she pulled up a stool to the side of Rachel where her table of utensils sat.

"Just relax…think like you're about to receive a massage, or something." Quinn said, unaware of the soft tone her voice had taken.

Rachel nodded, her chin rubbing up against the leather. "I'm just a little nervous…you know?"

Quinn smiled at Rachel who had turned to glance up at her. The blonde reached to the head of the girl and pulled her long chestnut tendrils to the side for the comfort. And she allowed her hand to trail across the tense muscles hidden behind the flimsy gown.

She pulled her hand back and sat the pen down. "Rachel? Would you mind if I moved your gown aside?"

And Quinn was asking because she wasn't quite sure of the action herself.

"Sure Quinn…I trust you."

The blonde heaved a sigh of her own amount of nervousness and she let shaking fingers inch towards the material…slowly pushing the clothing aside.

She was met with the sight of tan, shiny, and smooth.

It was a little too much. Her eyes roamed the curve of the shorter girl's back sliding down the dip from her shoulders, the ripple of the stern muscles reflecting off of the low look in Quinn's eyes. And then she let her eyes roam past the spot she would be etching the personal message into…and she savored the sight of Rachel's backside.

_Jesus fucking Christ._

The plump, and pert ass was perfectly stout and Quinn had to physically restrain her hands from delving into the flesh, she had to watch herself, she wanted to knead and touch…she was a definite ass woman.

"I-Is everything alright?"

The timid voice and the slight turning of Rachel's head broke Quinn from her concentrated stare of her ass and she snapped her vision back to the girl.

"Yeah, I'm gonna sanitize your entire lower back, just kind of a…uh, double check for safety. Then I'll start."

Rachel nodded, and she folded her arms and rested her head on them, looking as if she was trying her best to be as calm as possible. Quinn grabbed the sanitized washcloth and dragged it softly over the skin, feeling the tense area contract slightly.

"Rach, you know you can trust me…you just told me you did." The blonde sat the rag down and pushed her blonde hair behind her ear easily.

"I know…but it's going to hurt, I don't deal well with physical pain…" She said softly looking backwards at Quinn and she could feel the sadness in the brunette's eyes.

Quinn reached over and turned on the pen, the buzzing filling her ears in a full way, making her sigh in contentment.

"Rachel, I'm here…if it hurts then you can hold my hand and squeeze it until it makes you feel better, okay?"

"Okay."

Reaching upward Quinn offered her small hand and Rachel clasped hers onto the blonde's.

"Hey Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you end up on the stage? After Julliard I mean…you never told me the story of your success…"

And just like that, Quinn made the brunette forget every single thing around her. She opened her mouth telling the story of her fame and Quinn lowered the needle to her skin softly, the tip beginning the etch of an unknowingly important inscription.

When the first letter of the word was finished, Rachel had just realized that the tattoo had started. Quinn was keeping her cool pretty well.

She just didn't understand. Why would her lover possibly want this personal inscription.

"Wow…I didn't even know you had started." Rachel spoke with a slight laugh, and Quinn offered a strained chuckle of her own.

"How does it feel?"

"Like, a slight sting…but it's not overwhelming pain. It's actually quite relaxing-"

"Why this tattoo, Rachel?" Quinn cut her off and the brunette seemed a little taken aback at the abruptness of the inquiry.

"Quinn, I don't think this is the time or place-"

"It's the perfect time and place, Rachel. Do you not trust me enough to know why you're getting a Journey song, and even more coincidental the same Journey song tattooed on my arm, practically on your ass?"

It was in a tone filled with irritation and impatience. She was slowly and lightly finishing the tattoo but the more attention she paid to the word the angrier she got.

"And why is it that the same song is tattooed on your arm Quinn? I've been asking you to relay the details behind the creation for a while now with no avail so why should I reveal my own personal reasons of getting a tattoo?" Rachel challenged.

"Is it some sort of memory of Finn that you want to keep? Of that glorious moment between you and him where you looked into each others eyes-"

"Oh please Quinn, save the jealous guilt trip for someone who cares." Rachel spat turning her head quickly and squeezing the girl's hand as the pen pressed a little more harshly into her skin.

"Fuck you Rachel, I have my reasons."

"And I have mine, and they have nothing to do with Finn!" She said face hot with anger.

"That's the only thing I can presume from that Rachel! You sang that song to him that night at Regional's…you stared at him the entire time, you were in love with him! So I feel a little hostile at the fact that you're getting those words on your body, permanently."

Rachel scoffed. "You are so damn obtuse Quinn! It would make more sense for me to get Quinn fucking Fabray on my back!"

Her words came at almost a scream and Quinn had to wrench the pen from her skin, afraid of drawing too much blood.

She slid her stool quickly over to Rachel's face.

"I watched you the whole time Rachel. I fucking stared you down…I was so in love with you in that moment. I wanted you to take my hand and sing to me about how you would forever be mine, not Finn's. I wanted you to turn to me and kiss me, I wanted that moment to be ours…I wanted that moment so bad that I fucking got it tattooed on my arm so that I would remember that moment. The moment I realized I was so deeply in love with you, and that nothing and no one would change that."

She let her hand cup the brunette's cheek. "The star that is surrounding that word are the names of every song that we have ever shared together, every song that I witnessed you sing…every moment that I fell. I had them all etched into a star around that word…that song that forever connected my soul to yours. Forgive me for being hostile, because I don't know why you want that moment on your back, but I know why I have it on my arm, and since you are so damn nosy now you know."

She pulled her body from the girl and looked down at her open toed sandals, she finally grabbed the needled pen and continued her job of the tattoo.

"I wanted you too, Quinn. Tell me should I get your name on me? Maybe I should brand myself for your sake." Her words came, soft but forcibly.

Quinn looked up from her work, "Why is this what you chose to get on your body Rachel? You didn't know the purpose behind my tattoo. So why?"

"Because Everytime I closed my eyes I saw your face."

The shorter girl pleaded with Quinn silently to listen. "The entire time I sang to Finn, I saw you. I wanted you. I was devoting myself to you."

"He told me he loved me right before that performance…I didn't respond."

She wanted to sit up so badly, she wanted to grab the blonde's face with earnest and make her understand, but she couldn't move thanks to the pen still buzzing with life on her skin.

"Oh Quinn, can't you see? I love you…I have since that moment, and I want to remember that particular moment for the same reason that you want to remember it too." Rachel spoke and the blonde wondered if tears would well up in her eyes like she always thought at the declaration.

Quinn clicked the button of the pen off.

"It's finished."

Rachel bit her lip and Quinn stood from her spot on the stool, extending a helping hand to the girl, helping her from her frazzled state. She carefully guided her over to the full length mirror, and then in turn handed her another handheld mirror.

Rachel turned and glanced at the inscription.

It was medium sized and in cursive and just how she had always wanted it. She smiled small at the sight and then she sat the mirror down.

"For now. It's finished for now." Rachel answered and Quinn stared down at her, shaking her head.

"How can you possibly love me?"

"I don't know…exactly. I don't have a definite reason, but I keep telling you this, and I will keep swearing on this promise. I will spend as long as possible showing you, how much I love you and how much I adore you…I promise." Rachel spoke, conviction so blatant in her eyes.

Quinn swallowed. "I would like that…I would like to seriously try that…because I'm kind of in love with you too…but I'm really scared and I don't know what to do about it."

Rachel leaned up and pressed her lips to Quinn's softly, maneuvering them slowly over her companion's with love and honesty. She wrapped her arms around her neck and slipped her tongue inside her mouth with ease.

"Does that mean that we're dating?"

"Yeah, let's say that…dating." Quinn said and she actually let a genuine smile take over her features.

Rachel pressed her lips to the neck of her…well could you even call her a girlfriend? Anyways, she let her head rest comfortably in the crookof her neck, content with the action and content with her feelings for this tortured blonde.

And Quinn let her hands trace the brown locks with earnest adoration. She couldn't take the grin from her features. Because she was scared shitless on the inside, but she wasn't going to really elaborate.

Because she was dating Rachel Berry.

The gold star, Universal Studios president Rachel Berry.

Finally.

**A/N: It is not over! Trust me…I've just been having way too much fun with this thing and there are few plot bunnies running around poking me to use them, so yeah…**

**GET READY!**

**Oh, by the way, this chapter went 22 pages, over 7, 000 words: LONGEST CHAPTER EVER!**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	8. Whispering

_Faithfully_

**A/N: So, I have surpassed a hundred reviewers which makes me extremely happy! I just want to thank you all for being fantastic readers. I also want to acknowledge my hundredth reviewer **_**starophie. **_**She is an amazing writer, who has only had positive feedback for me so go out and read her stories, and thanks again starophie for reading and reviewing! **

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter folks, because if you know me…you know I like to reek havoc. And havoc I shall reek…after this chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**BTW: Once again this chapter is titled after the song from my favorite musical, **_**Spring Awakening. **_

**Disclaimer: Since hilarious reviewer, **_**Mrs. Dianna Agron**_**, has reportedly proposed to the object of my affection Dianna Agron, my plans of world domination had been slightly deterred. But no fear! For now I will settle for the honorable Lea Michele, (yum), and continue my pursuit of Dianna Agron on the side. As for owning Glee? It's still in the works. **

Chapter 8

There was something about the term "girlfriend" that caused a stir in Quinn Fabray.

Maybe it was the fact that when she had taken it upon herself to realize that she was indeed a lesbian, she wasn't exactly familiar with the term itself.

She knew that she would never have one, since the object of her affection…that same exceptional brunette that she previously hadn't been in touch with was far from her grasp.

So the term wasn't exactly dear to her, unfortunately.

But two week's worth of dating that same woman…that same target of romantic attention, and then finally being able to be comfortable with the label itself had a sense of satisfaction that Quinn was looking forward to feeling more often.

There was an honest feeling of contentment when she and the singer went out to dinner every other night, or met up at a diner for breakfast…or had lunch at the office or the tattoo parlor. It was the fact that she could put her hand on the brunette's thigh and squeeze it or laugh at something she said that made the term…stick.

Being Rachel Berry's _girlfriend _was so…fulfilling, it made Quinn ecstatic. Being able to feel in her heart that she finally had achieved her goal in life and that she had actually done something to be proud of, made her almost go to church.

Almost.

When she was in the same room with the shorter girl it was like the air around her was filled with a ray of light, a certain euphoria…it was like some type of magic being sprinkled around the two.

It was…surreal.

Quinn was almost sure she had never felt anything like it in her entire life.

She was intimately attached to this person…she was so tied up in everything that had to do with the woman.

She found herself thinking about her constantly…texting her throughout each day, unable to get enough of her fix.

Every evening, date or not, the brunette would come by either her home or her workplace and allow the blonde to care for her new tattoo, both for the sake of health and the eager chance to be within the same breathing area as the blonde.

That would comprise of Quinn moisturizing the "wound", and giving Rachel a full out massage, oil and all.

She would trail kisses about her shoulder and they would share whispers of loving and erotic conversations.

Quinn would admire her work on the piece…the inscription giving her a feeling of possessiveness over the girl, even more so than she had felt before.

Because that one word, that one title…had actually stood for so much in Quinn's eyes. It stood for so much when she allowed herself to be branded by it, and now it meant a great deal because her desired lover had a matching inscription, and she had inscribed it.

It was like she had signed her named to some sort of contract or something.

It was perfect.

But it was a curse in its own special way, because she was allowed to take care of this spectacular creation and admire her work on her _girlfriend, _but she was forced to refrain from showing her just how much of her belonged to the blonde.

She couldn't _really _brand her.

She couldn't make love to her for two weeks, and coming upon the last few days of the second week, she found herself growing hot in arousal whenever she was around the brunette.

She was reduced to a frenzy when they would start up and she would find her tongue wedged around the brunette's but she wasn't allowed to let her fingers finish the task of proving her devotion.

It was so agonizing.

Not as agonizing as going nine years without her touch though.

But it wasn't one sided.

Her chestnut eyed sweetheart was eyeing her with same since of longing each time they spent time together.

Small touches of the back, and passionate kisses were becoming irritating because they weren't becoming enough to tide her over.

Why the fuck wasn't it enough to tide her over?

Because she as well was finding the other woman to become some type of sickening addiction.

And two moments of intimacy wasn't doing much for her fix these days.

She could constantly feel the blonde's lips and fingers and everything, everywhere. Memories of secluded alleyways and offices raged through her mind constantly and all she could do was constantly peel skin from her tattoo and pray that the fucker would heal soon.

Very soon.

Because she was miserable.

And Rachel Berry hated being miserable almost as much as she hated having any type of sickness that affected her voice in any way.

Gaining the title, capturing each others hearts, finally, was so great…but it just wasn't the only thing fueling the tied up fire between the two.

It was hard to be in love with someone freely and carelessly and not be able to make love to them until the wee hours of the morning where you could get out every bit of frustration and feeling.

Rachel longed the feel of Quinn's skin.

Quinn needed to feel Rachel's skin.

It was absolute madness.

Chaos however only ran for so long. And now it was a Friday afternoon, a certain special Friday afternoon as a matter a fact.

Two weeks since Rachel's tattoo.

The final day of the healing process.

The day she would unwrap her bandages.

Quinn found herself pacing around the floor of her West Hollywood workplace. Kim, the receptionist was watching as the anxiety took over her boss and had to admit that she was insanely happy to see her boss anxious about anything.

"Quinn?"

The blonde whirled to meet her employee's eyesight, "Yes, Kim?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you were expecting someone?"

"My girlfriend is supposed to be here soon…she took her bandages off today." Quinn said rubbing her hands together.

It was the one day she had ditched her shorts in order to dress a little nicer. She had on a white spaghetti strapped dress and a pair of gold sandals.

She wanted to be the girlfriend Rachel always desired in high school…ignoring the inked inscriptions on her body.

Her evening had been carefully planned.

She was looking forward to having a nice dinner with her lover, before they would retreat to the club where she actually came to reunite with the brunette, starting all of this craziness that they were now stuck in.

And then, she would take her home and make love to her until the morning came and halted them.

It was genius.

So you could imagine the nervous and also animated energy that was running through her veins uncontrollably. She was hoping that all of the pacing and worrying would refrain from putting her hair in disarray because she was hoping to actually look somewhat classically presentable when her _girlfriend arrived. _

She turned to the truly amused receptionist.

"Does my hair look okay?"

Kim couldn't ignore the laughter that flowed happily through her veins at the question, seeing as her boss was a bit of a badass and usually was in the least concerned about her appearance.

Quinn's face hardened at the woman's uncontrolled laughter at her serious inquiry about her appearance.

"Fuck you Kim! I'm serious…" Quinn spoke clicking as she continued her circle of impromptu strutting in an unconscious routine.

"I'm sorry, Quinn. You look very pretty…as a matter of fact I don't think I've ever seen you wear a dress." The woman said her eyebrows raising in earnest surprise, but her red cheeks contradicting the feelings she was trying to portray.

Quinn couldn't deny the smile that made it's way to encompass her face.

"You think I look pretty?"

Kim chuckled at the child like happiness at the revelation and grinned even wider than before. "Yes, you're a very beautiful woman Quinn, if I was a lesbian…" but the sentence was unfinished thanks to the woman's laughter and the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Once again…fuck you Kim, I'm bored with you, I'm going to do something more interesting."

And with that she stalked past the front desk back into the back hallway of the shop, walking impatiently past Santana's office, and into her office where she found Rachel, the reason for her impending anxiety leaning on the edge of her desk holding a large bouquet of roses.

"I'm sorry I didn't come in the front…I wanted to surprise you."

Quinn was rendered speechless. It was the fact that there stood the love of her life smiling and holding a bouquet flowers.

And it was even more that there stood her love wearing a very tight strapless red dress that seemed to show off every interesting and monumental feature on her body.

"I-I…I'm surprised." _Smooth. _

Rachel had curled her chestnut locks and they fell in soft curls, framing her face and causing the intake of Quinn's breath to shorten considerably.

The woman held out the flowers to the blonde with a grin. "These are for you…I remembered making fun of you back in high school, because you liked the cliché of roses."

Quinn smiled before she licked her lips, stepping forward to take the gift from the shorter girl's hands, lowering her eyes to the flowers before setting them down behind her on the desk and pulling Rachel in and pressing her lips against hers with a simple movement of hands and arms.

The full lips of the brunette enveloped that of Quinn's and she found herself sinking into the feel and touch of the girl period.

It was like a security blanket. She rest her hands on the small of the brunette's back finding that there was no material…anywhere, and she begrudgingly pulled her self from the embrace that they had been sharing.

She looked at the flushed girl who had yet to open her eyes…

"Rachel?"

And the brunette was seemingly brought out of her daze with the address, opening her eyes to look questioningly at her lover.

"Hmm?"

"What are you wearing?"

"A dress…?"

Quinn laughed at the confused answer to her slightly unusual question and she stepped further back to pull Rachel's arm and twirl her around, as if some sort of model.

And when she met the sight of Rachel's bare back, she found the singer celebrating the success of her finished and healed tattoo in more ways than one.

Her whole back was out, even the very bottom of her back…as a matter of fact the fabric landed right under her tattoo, and Quinn briefly wondered how the hell did the girl manage it. It was barely avoiding exposure of her ass, that delectable ass…

"Rachel…how-"

"I had it made, isn't it gorgeous?" She unleashed her hold in Quinn's hand to spin a little more playfully around in the artist's presence.

Quinn really feared answering the exuberated woman's question for fear of nothing actually coming from her mouth, because all it felt like was pure cotton. The sight of the end of the girl' s curls touching the dip between her collar bone and then the shining bareness all the way down to the inked cursive looking more and more like a branding as she stared at it, was just too much…

"Quinn?"

And the blonde looked up with nothing short of…dark fire in her hazel orbs. She touched her hands to Rachel's back and silently drug her hands slowly down the curve of the skin, running her fingertips erotically across the skin, printing silent words unseen and important on the space.

Rachel seemed to relish in the feeling and let her head fall to the side, lolling as Quinn leaned her head on the bare shoulder, letting her eyes look downwards to the obvious dedication that she had had the chance to actually bless the already blessed skin with.

She let the already wandering tips of her fingers trail and trace the piece with a sense of contentment and she pressed her lips to the skin her forehead had been previously occupying, letting the mouth tell a story of love and devotion and appreciation to the brunette who sighed, the feeling of Quinn's fingers and lips officially overwhelming her being.

She rolled her head around to fall backward as the taller blonde moved from her shoulder to the crook of her neck where she allowed her lips to take refuge once more, marking a message much different than the one on her back.

She darted her tongue out to taste the flesh that she was sure tasted as sweet and succulent as candy, eliciting a breathy moan from the brunette.

"Quinn…" She whispered and the woman dipped her hands downwards past the flimsy almost sheer material of the dress to the plump ass that she had staked her love so earlier on life.

"I don't have on any panties…"

And Quinn's world crashed at that moment. She couldn't suppress the groan that escaped her lips at the declaration and she bit the space of neck that she was devouring letting her fingers knead the flesh of ass that she was paying attention to, more so now that the knowledge of nothing in her way lingered in her system.

Her hand slinked around the hips of the woman, over the bare area of her slit, and feeling the wetness that was slowly forming.

"I could fuck you right now…" Quinn leaned into her ear and whispered earning a hitch of breathing from the shorter singer.

"I know…"

"And I know you want me to…don't you?"

"I do, Quinn…I want you to fuck me…" She whined turning to Quinn to capture her lips in a kiss filled with passion and want, her arm sliding upwards to hold her head in place while she worked her mouth over the blonde's mouth in a urgent desperation for attention.

The blonde circled the outer lips of the woman, making the girl gasp in her mouth, before she pulled her hand from the area to spin the brunette around in their tango to fully cover her mouth with her own, Rachel's arms around her in a tight grip, finger's fisted in her mane of blonde locks, while Quinn gripped the covered flesh of her ass squeezing as she slid her tongue past the opening of her plump lips.

The brunette moaned at the contact of their tongues, the two dueling for dominance, the want for success so evident, but Quinn knew what she wanted. She wanted a desperate Rachel, and that was what she was going to get.

Because she was Quinn fucking Fabray.

She sucked on Rachel's bottom lip, pulling it out before biting it and earning a gasp from the brunette as she slapped her ass, before indulging in the inside of her mouth once more skipping her tongue into the area exploring every crevice, twisting and turning in almost a poetic way to intertwine with hers and the woman stepped backward with the motion making her way to back herself into the desk.

"Fuck, Quinn…I need you…" She gasped tearing her mouth from the blonde's as she moved to the crook of the brunette's neck once more, sucking in earnest, hoping to earn a nice little mark of which the woman would have hard time getting rid of.

She bit…hard.

And the sound that she caused was music to her ears.

"Oh shit!" Rachel cried and she pulled Quinn's hair forcefully which was too much of a turn on for the blonde, and she was almost deterred in her mission, but she continued to lick and create a natural piece of art, one that didn't use ink.

The brunette was spreading her legs, the short dress rising up with the movement and Quinn was barely resisting the urge to slide in between the apex and make herself at home like she had done so many times, but she managed to refrain.

And with lots of regret she managed to yank her lips from the hot spot of the girl's neck.

"We've got to stop, Rachel…"

"Seriously?" Came the response, and Quinn could hear the frustration in the brunette's voice, which only turned the blonde on further.

"Yes, I'll ruin your dress, and we've got reservations and shit, I actually had something planned tonight, baby."

The term of endearment just flowed from the blonde's mouth and the shorter girl almost looked insanely happy until it dawned on her that, Quinn's baby or not…she was still horny.

"But Quinn…your mouth, feels so good…it's unfair." She pouted, the big wide brown eyes looking at the hazel one's in the greatest puppy dog look Quinn had seen in a long time.

She had to stay strong this one time, though.

She pressed her lips to the girl's in a searing kiss before moving to her ear. "Let's have dinner, and a couple of glasses of wine and celebrate, and then we'll go back to your place and I'll use my mouth to christen that big brand new bed of yours."

The thought had Rachel's eyes burning with a desire that was long lost.

Quinn licked the shell of her ear. "My mouth doesn't just feel good on lips, baby…" she whispered and Rachel gripped the fist full of blonde hair she had been holding, she yanked her head up by the locks anyway, and staring solely into the eyes of the woman she was so in love with, she held her in place with both hands on the bottom of her neck, some of the fingers still wrapped around strands of hair.

She inched close to the woman, noses rubbing against each other softly.

"Promise?" She said, her husky words hanging over the swollen lips of the blonde who grinned brushing her mouth across the brunette's one last time.

"Promise."

* * *

Sitting through a long romantic dinner with Rachel was therefore deemed, unbearable.

It was ridiculous.

Quinn had never had trouble controlling her desires in public before.

Not counting those last few times, because it had been seriously hard to contain the attraction.

But something about tonight, about the way the dress was cut strapless, around her breasts and dipping low above her pert behind made her even more desperate to have her than she was before sighting the beautiful woman.

It was agonizing, it was some form of personal torture that whoever was up there in the higher stages of life was inflicting on her.

She was sipping wine continuously, while she focused on the lips of her lover, who was going on about her days at her job, and about the incompetent people that she was forced to work with.

But really she wasn't only barely paying attention…she was too focused on the movement of the lips, down to the forming bruise on her neck and all the way to the tan fingers that were holding the straw and circling the martini she was sipping on.

It was a magnificent sight, her plump and slightly swollen lips, wrapping around her spoon as she ate her dessert, way passed the point of dinner, the chocolate dripping so, tempting down her chin…

"Rach…you've got a little…"

And before Rachel could reach and attempt to wipe the offending sauce from her face, Quinn had leaned over the table and wiped the substance off wit her thumb, what she wasn't expecting was for Rachel to catch the thumb between those lips, and suck the chocolate clean from the skin of that same thumb.

Quinn actually felt the hooded look take over her eyes at the sight of the big brown orbs staring up at her from the greedy sucking that was taking place.

She bit her bottom lip, before replacing her thumb with her mouth, moving the full lips slowly against the brunette's, earning a gasp from the blonde.

"God, Quinn…how much…longer before I…can have you?" Rachel whispered in between kisses and Quinn grinned at the girl's desperation, it was shocking how hard it was for the oddly more mature woman to hide her arousal.

The blonde pulled back, reaching over the table to grab the brunette's hand, licking her lips missing the taste of the girl.

"Eager?"

Rachel blushed and pushed a strand of her curls behind her hair. "I just have missed you…" She spoke huskily. And Quinn had to ignore the fluttering of her heart, at the tone of her _girlfriend's _voice.

"Baby…I missed you too. But San and Britt are gonna meet us at Twist, and I was thinking we could all hang out for a little bit, maybe dance and drink some beers or something?" Quinn offered and she instantly saw the girl's face light up.

"Well then, sure. I would love to go dancing with you and Santana and Brittany." It was the infamous Rachel Berry smile that stretched from one end of her face to the other end and brandished the white teeth that Quinn couldn't help but match the smile with her own.

"And that actually brings me to a question I have been meaning to ask you, do you remember that night when I first saw you again…in front of the club?" Quinn asked with a curious smirk on her face.

Rachel looked down at her drink before leaning to sip it once more.

"Yes?"

"What exactly were you doing there?"

"I was actually…across the street." She spoke with a small chuckle and Quinn squeezed her hand before bringing it to her lips.

"I was at this gala, that was actually honoring me for becoming the new Universal president-"

"Rachel Caroline!" Quinn said feigning admonishment. Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes before raising her free hand to move the offending curl from her eyesight.

"Relax! It had ended…and I was so curious about the place…it looked so lively, so…fun. I wanted to know what a gay club was like…what it felt like to be around other lesbians."

"So you considered yourself a lesbian?" Quinn asked with an eyebrow raised. Rachel bit her lip grinning at the girl.

"I considered myself a lesbian twelve years ago."

"Hmm…well considering that you had two gay dads to help you realize that you were a lesbian is amazing…" Quinn said grabbing her glass of wine.

Rachel tilted her head. "I actually didn't consult my dads…I talked to um, Shelby." She said sounding a little nervous when she spoke it.

Quinn looked up from her sip, a little surprised.

"Really? She helped you realize it?" The blonde said with a incredulous look on her face. Rachel grinned.

"Um, yes. It was a little bit of an awkward situation, she didn't really know what to say to me but she just told me that if I was gay that I should have no problem accepting it, and that my fathers would still be proud, which I already knew, she even came with me to tell my dad's." Rachel said glancing down at the finished ice cream.

Quinn smiled, before asking, "How did the conversation come about?" She inquired and Rachel looked at her, matching her chestnuts orbs to the hazel ones.

"I told her that I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Quinn could almost feel her breathing hitch in her throat at the declaration. Of course she was in love with Rachel ever since that night twelve years ago, but she didn't actually figure herself gay until about two years after that fateful night.

"You couldn't stop thinking about me, after…?"

"Regional's. I went to Shelby's the next day…because I knew…I knew that I wanted you, and I knew that I was a lesbian."

"Wow." Quinn said and she grinned if possible, even wider at the girl. She looked down at their intertwined hands.

"I actually didn't accept the fact that I was a lesbian until I was in college…" Quinn whispered and Rachel smiled.

"I figured it would harder…because of your parents…" Rachel offered and she saw the fire in her girlfriend's eyes.

"They have nothing to do with me. I don't want anything to do with them…understand. The moment I knew I was in love with you, I knew that after high school I would leave and never come back and never have to deal with them and their fucking perception of me."

Quinn was actually seething a little, and Rachel reached upwards to press a cool hand to her lover's face.

"Calm baby…we don't have to talk about them…not now, not if you don't want to." she said softly and Quinn leaned into the touch, squeezing her hand once more.

"I just…I'm sorry but I never told them Rachel…when I left, I left. I haven't talked to my parents since…and I would rather not. I don't want them interfering with my feelings for you, with us." She said looking deep into the other girl's eyes. The brunette pressed her lips to the blonde's and moved them passionately against them with a moan at the sensation of the tongues meeting up once more.

"I've got you now, and I don't ever want to let you go, I don't want to lose you." She whispered and Rachel smiled at the words, her forehead pressing against the blonde's.

"You won't baby…I promise." Rachel provided and Quinn wet her lips for the thousandth time that day.

"Let's go, San and B are waiting for us." Quinn said, and with a wave of her hand she called the waiter over who seemed to be already watching them judging by the beet red color of his face.

"Check please."

* * *

When the duo deemed Rachel and Quinn met up with the Latina and her wife they were pleased to know that the two had already conjured the usual booth in the VIP section.

"Fucking hell Q, what were you two doing? Fucking?" Santana asked her hard eyes not actually as tough as they usually were, staring the blonde down, after they had been seated successfully, now reveling in the blaring tones of the music and the heat of all the bodies pressed against one another.

"No, but I don't doubt that was what you two were doing, right?"

"Right!" Brittany answered with a smile passing a beer to the girl with ease before scooting over to sit next to Rachel.

"Can I see your finished tattoo Rach?" She said her eyes lighting up with interest.

"Oh yeah Berry, that is what we're celebrating isn't it?" Santana offered raising her eyebrow and raising her bottle in some sort of odd solute, that caused Rachel to blush.

"Cheers to Rachel's tattoo!" Brittany squealed before leading the consecutive swigging of the beers.

"Alright so let us have a see then, Barbara." Santana ordered, and Rachel looked at Quinn before standing and removing her black blazer to reveal her low dipped dress and the perfectly placed inscription.

Santana gasped as well as Brittany and Rachel looked over her shoulder. "What is it? Do you guys not like it?" She questioned genuinely worried about the reaction of the two women.

"Quinn…?" Santana asked looked from the piece to the blonde, who grinned at the looks of the two friends.

"It's fucking gorgeous isn't it?"

"But it says…"

"Quinn doesn't your tattoo say the same thing?" Brittany asked seeming a bit confused. And Quinn smiled warmly looking up to Rachel and signaling her to turn back around.

"Yes Britt it does, you could say Rachel and I have matching tattoo's." She offered shrugging her shoulders and Rachel smiled while nodding her head to the rock music blaring behind her.

"That's like me and San!" The exuberant blonde said excitedly.

Santana palmed her face and shook her head while Quinn laughed and Rachel's eyes lit up.

"You guy's have matching pieces? Seriously? Where?" She spoke, swigging her beer before plopping down next to Quinn.

Santana glared at the laughter coming from her best friend before she removed her own jacket to reveal her fairly sized tattoo on her right shoulder.

And Brittany excitedly moved her dress down a little to show hers on the left shoulder.

It was gorgeous; a drawing of two hands with the pinky intertwined and underneath were the name's of the other in cursive.

"That's beautiful…"

"We got them on our moon trip!" Brittany said turning to Rachel excitedly, and the brunette furrowed her eyebrows.

"Um…"

"She means honeymoon, we got them when we came back, I had Q do them as our wedding present." Santana said with a roll of the eyes, but a smile on her face nonetheless.

Rachel looked at her lover with a smile. "They're gorgeous Quinn…" She said and the blonde shrugged.

"One of the easiest drawings since I watched them walk around like that for years." She said with a laugh and Rachel nodded in agreement drinking some more of her beer before the space was invaded by a smiling strawberry blonde.

The same strawberry blonde.

"Well what do we have here? Mrs. Frigid herself?"

"Nice to see you again strawberry." Quinn spoke sipping her drink with a roll of her eyes. Rachel narrowed her eyes at the woman that knew Quinn. She resisted the urge to wrap her arms possessively around the blonde she called her own.

"Who's your friend?" The strawberry blonde spoke, still otherwise nameless. And she moved her eyes to Rachel eyeing her body a little hungrily.

"Taken." Santana spoke her eyes hardening.

"I think she can speak for herself." The blonde spat snapping her head to Santana, and Rachel reached her hand out, and when her shoulder's heightened, Quinn knew the stance in which she was reverting to.

She was Universal Studios President in that one moment.

"My name is Rachel Berry, pleased to make your acquaintance, and you are…?"

"A bitch."

"Santana that's not nice!" Brittany admonished, slapping her wife playfully on the arm and Quinn had to laugh at the sight before she quickly darted her eyes to the connecting skin of the strawberry and her _girlfriend._

"My name's Rebecca." She said drawling it, obviously in hopes of impressing one hardly impressed Rachel Berry. She lowered her lips to the hand she had acquired and attempted to mixed the parts before Quinn reached forward and snatched the hand from the offending mouth of Rebecca.

"Is there a purpose for you attempting to hit on my girlfriend?" Quinn said and Rachel looked to her in shock, not actually ever hearing the title empty the blonde's mouth in the head-bitch-in-charge way it just did.

"She didn't say anything of the sort, being your girlfriend, I mean." Rebecca spoke challenging Quinn who raised her perfectly arched eyebrow with incredulous thinking.

"It doesn't matter what she said, she belongs to me. Understand? So why don't you get the hell away from our table before I remove you, myself." Quinn said standing and the strawberry seemed like she was gonna challenge the girl, but when the hot faced Latina stood beside her as tall and as in charge, she cowered a little.

"That means, fuck off." She spat and the strawberry, Rebecca rolled her eyes with pursed lips and turned to walk away.

Rachel could only really comprehend two things;

1. Quinn called her, her girlfriend.

2. She was really horny.

The blonde turned her head to look at her very red-in-the-face lover. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be all possessive-"

"Can we dance? I just want you close to me after that." Rachel spoke, cutting her off. Quinn raised her eyebrows at the heaving chest of her lover, before dragging her out on the slick dance floor.

Brittany and Santana soon followed them to the crowded area, and before Rachel knew it she was engulfed by sweaty bodies and heavily breathing females causing her to blush just a little.

"I don't really dance…" She said into Quinn's hear leaning on her tip toes a little.

Quinn smiled and cast a quick glance at the couple next to them before grabbing Rachel's hands, their fingers intertwining.

"Just listen to the music…you should know how to do that, Mrs. Platinum selling recording artist…" Quinn said huskily, moving her arms a little and Rachel laughed before moving her hips steadily to the bass bumping behind her ears.

Quinn watched her as she dropped one hand to drag down her body while she moved, and she forgot that she was actually dancing with her for a short moment.

She used the hand she was holding to spin her around, pulling her snugly to her both of her hands resting firmly against her hips.

And Rachel leaned into her, both of them moving as one hips gyrating against one another at a paced that matched the beat of the song that was playing. Something about how _if your not really here, then I don't want to be either. _Quinn had heard it before but couldn't really say she had time to process how much she liked the song considering how her _girlfriend's _hips were bucking backwards directly into her center to the beat and it wasn't helping her attraction lessen.

Not that she wanted her attraction to lessen.

"Fuck Rach…" She moaned into the girl's ear, which was placed perfectly under her chin, since she found her head resting on her now a little damp chest.

Rachel was the embodiment of sexy as she moved grinding her hips, her ass into Quinn with every passing pump of the bass.

It was like sex…with music.

Panting was equally passed between the two and Quinn was sure that at one point they had an audience.

"I want you Quinn." Rachel breathed, looking up from her position, still using Quinn as her personal pole, and she turned to press her chest against the girl's.

"Rachel…"

"Don't you want me Quinn?" She asked sliding down her body leveling her face with the blonde's center before turning a gyrating circle as she rose, pressing her body to Quinn's in all the right places, making the blonde shut her eyes.

"Don't you want to touch me? Don't you want to feel me inside of you, because I want you inside of me, I've been craving you all fucking day…" Rachel whispered and the blonde sucked in a breath of air with pleasure.

The singer's hands were trailing her body at a leisure pace, fingers making their way up under her dress quicker than she could stop them…and before long, they were in her lace underwear, tracing blonde curls that were only for the brunette to see.

"Rachel!" Quinn said throwing her head back as the brunette slid one finger deep into the girl's mound causing her to moan.

"Damn you're wet baby…I can't wait to taste you…" The brunette said before attaching her lips to the smooth gold skin of her lover's neck tasting sweat mingled with the essence of Quinn which made her hum in satisfaction. The song was developing now, something like,

_I want to be next to you…black and gold…_

Rachel was allowing the lyrics to sink into her system as she pumped Quinn with that same finger, her teeth creating a frenzy of things on the girl's neck. She allowed her to wrap her own fingers in her curls pulling harshly as Rachel used her thumb to play with the girl's swollen clit.

"I need you Rachel…fuck…right now!" Quinn growled, pulling her head to look at the brunette who was licking her lips, and well…her fingers.

The hazel eyes were hooded when they contacted hers and she knew,

It was on.

* * *

"Let's get out of here."

The blonde led the way, the song drowning in her ears as she pulled her lover quite quickly from the place, retreating back to the booth where they collected her jacket and a quick goodbye was spoken to Santana and Brittany.

It wasn't until they exited the club that Quinn realized she was rushing.

"Quinn, baby, you've got me all night…" Rachel whispered hanging on to the girl as they stalked.

"I plan on fucking you all night, I'm just ready to start now…"

But Rachel couldn't ignore the laugh that entered her system at the lack of patience that was floating through her blonde harlot's system.

Entering the giant house, felt so natural to Quinn.

Even though it was her first time she was entering the large home, and it currently was being well spent with her lips attached the owner, and not actually paying attention to the actual home.

Maybe that was what made it feel so natural.

The shorter girl, kicked the door shut, her hands roaming over Quinn quickly feeling every inch of every spot with a great deal of attention.

Rachel moved in a beeline down the blonde's neck earning a groan as she bit harshly on _that _spot once more.

"Fuck Rachel…I thought you planned on showing me around this place…" Quinn breathed as they backed up, maybe in the living area? The darkness was turning even darker with every step they took.

"You'll see every…room." Rachel whimpered into her neck huskily and Quinn pulled her from her body.

"Take me to your bedroom."

They were spoken so seriously. Eyes were locked to eyes and a mutual understanding was passed from the two.

It was that simple.

And so the brunette took her hand, leading her up the spiral staircase, until they reached a set of double doors.

She opened them and stepped into the room facing Quinn, but she didn't notice.

She was taking in the space. The high ceiling and the giant bed, the white crisp drawers and armoire.

The gold carpeting and the gold…everything.

It was obviously her favorite color and she definitely had come a long way from the pink middle school-esque décor she had acquired in high school.

The room all together felt…royal, but sexy.

Quinn was more than impressed, and visions of herself spending lots of time in the space struck her as appealing…as appetizing.

It wasn't until the sound of fabric hitting the floor, that she took her eyes off of the room and focused them on the spectacular woman that was in front of her.

Who was currently stark naked, aside from her red pumps.

She had kicked her dress to the side and hadn't been joking when she spoke of no undergarments.

Nothing but skin and brown eyes and dark hair greeted Quinn with an almost shy smile and Quinn stepped out of her heels to find that she was taller than the shorter woman.

"I want you."

"Then come get me."

Quinn stepped forward to the girl, reaching out to touch her neck, fingers caressing the cheekbone.

"I've always dreamed of this…you naked for me." Quinn whispered locking her eyes with the brunette's both sets clouding over with lust and want.

"And I've dreamed of being naked and ready for you…" Rachel said closing her eyes as her lover's hands made their way to her stomach, running a trail from the spot on her abdomen to her breast, touching in the slightest and earning a loud gasp from her.

"Sensitive?" Quinn questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Rachel bit her bottom lip nodding and Quinn had the sudden urge to lock it within her own teeth, holding it captive and sucking on it.

She let her soft fingers trace the outline of the part, feeling the flesh tracing the marks of their growing before sliding across a nipple slowly, her other hand now making it's place on her ass.

With the coming contact of Quinn's finger and her nipple, Rachel whimpered reaching her own hand to lock over Quinn's and they both moved over the breast easily paying attention to the flesh, kneading it and pinching the pert nipple with affection.

"Shit Quinn…" Rachel called and Quinn traveled her other obviously free hand to the front of the flustered girl's pelvis finding her bundle of curls very interesting.

She brought her interested fingers to the spot only to find slick juices waiting for her and she smiled.

"So wet…already." Quinn said softly before she pressed her lips to Rachel's full ones and they shared a full kiss that made them both moan in pleasure as Quinn started backing her lover up towards the king size bed waiting patiently for them.

She allowed her tongue to slide hungrily into the brunette's mouth and fondle fiercely with hers unwinding and winding, fighting for dominance and Quinn smiled, before acting upon her thoughts and biting her bottom lip, before pulling it out for her to suck on making Rachel bury her hands in the blonde mane.

"Jesus Christ baby…" She let go of the now even more swollen lip and nudged Rachel, who fell back to the bed in such an angelic fashion that Quinn almost pinched herself to make sure that moment was actually real.

The girl scooted up and positioned herself upward on her elbows and looked at Quinn wantonly.

"Strip for me." She spoke and Quinn raised an eyebrow at the request.

She wasn't sure what the demand entailed, but she reached behind her and unzipped her dress slowly before she reached slide her straps off her shoulders and allow the dress to slide easily from her body.

When it fell, it revealed her black lacy lingerie that had been messed with earlier and Rachel had to stop herself…because she forgot how to speak.

"Wow…"

"It's for you…I got it for you." Quinn said, wondering briefly how her voice grew so husky when she spoke the words.

"I love it…really." Rachel said and she beckoned the girl to come to her, in which she did, and Rachel wrapped her arms around the waist, letting her fingers dip a little below the slight material of the thong.

"I want you to let me taste you Quinn…" Rachel said, looking up into her eyes and the blonde smiled at her, before she leaned down to take her lips within her own once more latching both hands onto her cheeks holding her in place as they played, before she leaned her back placing her thigh harshly to the girl's center, making the brunette buck.

"Yes Quinn…" She hissed, and she pressed herself against the bare thigh which caused Quinn the moan as her own center found a thigh.

"Take the panties off…I want to feel you, shit Quinn I need to feel you." Rachel pleaded and she slid her hands down to hook in the thong, sliding it down her ass with ease, letting her hands touch the skin of her thighs as well.

They resumed their position, now with no barriers and Quinn sighed at the feeling.

Rachel grabbed her and locked their full lips again and Quinn couldn't stop herself before she thrust upwards against Rachel's thigh forcefully, making a sensation flow throughout both of their bodies.

She let her hands grab the brunette's, intertwining their fingers before slamming them behind her, as she started a slow rhythm, their movements becoming frenzied and needed and pants of breath filled the air around them.

"Fuck Rachel…you feel good." Quinn moaned before she leaned down to take a nipple in between her teeth, making the brunette cry out.

"Oh, Quinn! Yes…" She humped a little quicker at the sensation and the combined movements achieved a faster speed making Quinn let go of the breast that she had been suckling and burying her face in the crook of the girl's neck.

It was an indescribable feeling, her center pressed against Rachel's thigh and vice versa, the slick thrusting of their bodies as they tried desperately to retrieve a release, a bond so tight encircling the two that it was becoming hard for Quinn's brain to focus on anything else.

"Fuck Rach! Yes…I'm so fucking close…" Quinn moaned out, her forehead pressing against Rachel's their breaths mingling with one another.

And on cue, Rachel reached from Quinn's grip, to fondle the blonde curls, sliding a finger past the walls of the girl earning a loud gasp.

"Shit!" She cried at the sensation, feeling a bead of sweat fall from her forehead, and she reached to touch Rachel herself, taking a different approach and sliding two fingers into the girl who joined her in crying out in pleasure.

"Fuck me Quinn, fuck me…" She cried in a frenzy, thrusting and moving wildly against the blonde as her lover in turn did the same, pressing her lips against the girl's and fisting her locks and she did the same.

And they were just a tangle of bodies moving at a fast pace against one another trying to reach a height of indescribable pleasure that it was wearing on every piece of energy they owned.

"Right there baby, right there…come with me, Rachel!" Quinn groaned as Rachel penetrated her spot directly with two fingers and Quinn pinched the brunette's clit with ease causing her to throw her head back and scream out with the blonde as they reached a simultaneous brink of ecstasy.

"Fuck yes, Quinn, Quinn!"

It was drawn out and then swallowed by the blonde's kiss as they soared for a moment, floating on this otherwise unattainable erotic bliss that they had achieved.

Quinn removed her hand from the girl's nerves uncaringly, pulling her deeper into the embrace, wedging her tongue past her lips easily and sucking on every crevice and space of her mouth.

When they grew tired and weary and breathing became a necessity, she pulled away trailing light kissed in a line down her neck before burying her face comfortably into the crook of her neck, and Rachel wrapped her arms around her back, her fingers playing with the blonde hair.

"That was…"

"Amazing." Rachel finished with a slight laugh and the blonde joined her.

"I love you, and I'm sorry for all the torture I put you through for so long."

"I love you Quinn…and I forgave you a long time ago." Rachel whispered pressing a kiss to the top of the girl's head.

Lying there for a moment, Quinn savored the place she was inhabiting until she allowed herself to murmur against the golden skin.

"Can we just stay like this for a while?"

"We can stay like this forever, Quinn." Rachel said smiling and letting her eyes drift to a close, but not before hearing her equally spent lover whispering her response.

"Forever."

**A/N: Whoo! That took like three days to write! **


	9. Life Without Care

_Faithfully_

**A/N: So I thoroughly enjoyed writing that last chapter! And I enjoyed the response that I received! So, onto some other news…I'm bringing up some unclear and forgotten stuff in this chapter, very touchy subjects, for one Quinn Fabray. **

**BTW: This is named after the gorgeous song entitled, "Lady Is A Tramp", that the ever so gorgeous Amber Riley and Mark Salling covered on Glee. **

**Disclaimer: I have hereby proclaimed reviewer, Mrs. Dianna Agron as my partner in explicit lesbian crime. As for our plans to conquer the universe with our gorgeous Glee women by our side…we have yet to finish. That includes the paperwork to that musical show that we both love so very much.**

Chapter 9

Music was playing in the background, and Rachel briefly wondered in the midst of the insane lovemaking that had been going on the evening before, how the hell the soft folk even began wafting through the air.

She didn't remember anything that didn't revolve around Quinn's body.

She couldn't even remember how her pumps ended up off of her feet.

All she remembered was golden and tan body parts intertwining until the sun shone through the sheer golden curtains that would otherwise shield them from the outside world.

As a matter fact…her eyes were still closed.

She hadn't actually consciously woken up…she was awake, because she could feel the blonde woman that she had spent the night making love to, shifting in her spot next to her.

She chose that moment to let her eyes pull apart lazily, allowing the chestnut orbs to scan over the slightly dampened and matted blonde waves to the closed eyelids down to the puckered lips that slightly parted with sleep.

She was gorgeous.

Spent after a night of sheer existence with her spouse, the infamous Quinn Fabray was worn out, she assumed.

Her arms rested on the brunette's bare hip, holding her to her spot while she allowed her head to nestle in the crook of the Jewish girl's neck.

Rachel smiled feeling the girl's fingers move slowly against the skin of her hip. She lowered her chin to press her lips to the skin of her forehead.

"Quinn…baby?" Rachel whispered letting her arm that was rested on the base of Quinn's bare backside caress softly up the skin and the girl stirred on a little.

"Mmm…Rachel…" She whispered and she snuggled a little closer to the woman who smiled at the term of recognition before she situated herself to move to be a little more face to face with the blonde.

She pressed her mouth to the pouted lips softly earning an awakened response from the girl.

"Rachel…" She moaned, sliding her leg to rest between that of the brunette she was calling for, and Rachel felt her sore body grow with want.

She let her fingers slide over the displayed breasts, her thumbs flicking over the nipples.

"Oh, fuck…" Quinn moaned throwing her head back, her eyes flickering open to lock with Rachel's.

"Good morning baby." She said huskily before she latched onto the same nipple she had been fondling.

"Good…fucking…morning…" Quinn panted as she girl sucked on the skin as if she couldn't get enough, overly aware of the sensitivity that was found in Quinn's breasts.

Quinn had discovered lots of things about her brown haired vixen…for instance how easy she bruised…and also how much of a trooper she was.

Quinn had succeeded in giving her lover more orgasms that she could count off of her fingers and it wasn't until she had practically dislocated her arm from the intense movement of her strokes that her girlfriend was satisfied.

She had loved every minute of it…she had.

She was pretty confident she hadn't received near as much attention…but it was because she had requested that she let her worship her body.

But obviously the left over arousal was backfiring, and she found herself reacting quickly to a roaming Rachel who was slowly sliding herself down the blonde's body, her own swollen lips trailing a line of kisses down the body.

Quinn knew where this was leading but she couldn't bring her eyes to look up and reach the eyes of the girl.

"Rach, baby…"

"I didn't get to satisfy you as much as I wanted to last night darling…" She said breathing in the scent of the very turned on female as she let her nose scrape the surface of the blonde curls.

"Oh god…" Quinn said squirming with both anticipation and anxiety for the events that she was so desperately yearning would take place soon.

Rachel smirked at the red and flustered girlfriend she was working up, and she let her tongue dart out to taste a little essence of Quinn.

The blonde's whole body jerked with relief.

"Rachel please…"

"Please what?" Rachel said flicking her tongue over the outer lips, without actually allowing her to feel anything really satisfying, but of course she wanted her to beg for it.

"Please…I'm dying…"

"For…? Beg for it Quinn, beg for my tongue."

"Fuck me Rachel! Fuck me with your tongue, please…" She whined and Rachel grinned before divulging her tongue into the space between the lips of her lover.

Quinn's torso bounded off of the bed and Rachel placed her fingers in the space of her hips to hold her down steadily.

"God, you taste so good mama…" Rachel's words vibrated against the wetness and she felt her girlfriend's body twitch with the endearment.

It was another figured out fetish, Quinn loved to be addressed in a term of superiority.

Rachel was aware of the fact that her girlfriend was a freak, thanks to the events that took place the night before.

She had also uncovered many fetishes and fantasies, and this was just touching the surface of her blonde girlfriend's preferences.

Quinn got turned on when she was being called anything of superiority. And Rachel absolutely loved to dirty talk…it went hand in hand.

So when Rachel let the term 'Mama' slip from her mouth, the night before, it drove Quinn insane. It seemingly made her whole body just fall to absolute pieces.

And Rachel loved when her girlfriend fell to pieces.

Thus, being the reason she was flicking her tongue over Quinn's most sensitive nerves, her brown eyes glued to slick body of her lover who was arching off of the bed with every pulsating feeling that wracked through her body.

"Yes, baby…Rachel!" She had fisted her hand in the silky brunette licks, still tangled from the night before and Rachel took that as initiative to rotate her tongue clockwise, touching every surface of Quinn. Her fingers pressed into the space of the girl's hips without shame before the girl reached down to grab her girlfriend's hand.

They intertwined fingers, Quinn squeezing said fingers tightly, while her lover continued to lap at her lower regions, moving her hips now to slide against her tongue with a short speed.

"Jesus Christ Rachel, your tongue…" IT was all too much, her moist mouth was just devouring her folds as if she had been doing it her entire life and Quinn found herself speechless.

"Look at me Quinn…" Rachel spoke, pulling her mouth from the girl who whined at the departure.

She let her eyes flutter open, and upon meeting the chocolate orbs of her lover, she about lost all sense of whatever she had left.

The sight of her girlfriend licking her, eating her, and thoroughly enjoying it while she stared back at her was…amazing.

Rachel reached out to grab her leg, throwing it over her shoulder…fully aware of the hooded look taking over her eyes.

"You look so fucking…good, Rach. Sucking me…" Quinn cried out, her body fully arched off the bed, her blonde lock falling over her face.

Her girlfriend moaned at the words, feeling herself grow wet with her own desire.

"Shit! It feels so good…" She said and she bucked her hips to the girl's mouth, the feeling becoming almost unbearable.

"You want to come?" Rachel murmured her eyes still locked on the girl's, and the blonde nodded desperately.

"Yes Rachel, fuck…you feel so fucking good." Quinn moaned staring at her lover with pleading eyes and her brunette girlfriend grinned, before sliding three fingers in her heat simultaneously.

"OH FUCK!" Quinn said and she felt her eyes close with the feeling of her girlfriend pumping her heat with swift fast strokes.

"Open your fucking eyes Quinn!"

And they snapped open just as fast, not thinking she would be able to handle the feeling of her lover disengaging their embrace.

"Oh fuck, Rachel…fuck…I can't…"

"You will…I want to see you when I fuck you to the point of no return," The brunette spoke, licking the girl's slit that was so comfortable enveloping her fingers.

The blonde was wanton, loud and thrashing all over the place, Rachel was sure was going to rip the gold sheets right from the mattress.

And so she thrust, hard and fast, the tips of her fingers hitting the spot, that spot so perfectly as if there was a target placed on it.

And with each stroke, Quinn felt her body light itself on fire…she was clenching and unclenching around the girl's fingers feeling them move against her slickly, and she was crying out in a voice that she wasn't even sure belonged to herself anymore.

Rachel curled her fingers upward, and swiveled while she lifted her palm to smack against the outside of her wet slit with each thrust and Quinn thought she would die of pure satisfaction.

"Rachel…fuck Rachel…I'm about to fucking…" She couldn't even voice the words as the sound of the brunette's palm hitting her wet skin reverberated off of the walls.

Rachel grabbed her hand, their fingers joining once more before she whispered, "Let it go, come for me mama…" Rachel spoke huskily staring into her eyes and Quinn threw her head back as Rachel slammed her hand forcefully into her one last time.

"Oh fuck! Rachel!"

She was screaming, it sounded almost like someone was murdering her, and she was sure that everyone within a five mile radius heard her. And Rachel watched her lover arch off of the mattress, hairs standing up all over her body as the feeling of a full fledged orgasm wracked through her forcefully, she felt her body shake around her, even the slick clenching walls that held her fingers in place and the girl was sure she had never seen anything like it, like the goddess in her element before her.

She withdrew her hand as the blonde's body went limp, her eyes finally coming to quick close and Rachel pressed soft kisses in reverse now, moving up her body before pressing her lips to those of the woman.

Quinn did not respond, she just lied there, short breaths coming from her but absolutely no movement.

"Quinn?"

Rachel stared confusingly at her girlfriend, who seemed to had gone unconscious.

"Quinn? Quinn baby, wake up! Quinn!" Rachel spoke hurriedly shaking the woman a little before watching the hazel eyes flutter open.

"Was that my breakfast in bed?" Quinn slurred and Rachel couldn't stop the laughter from spilling from her lips.

"I thought I had lost you there, baby." She kissed her blonde girlfriend again and was met with the soft moving of her lips.

Rachel moved to lie beside her girlfriend, resting her fingers in the array of blonde hair that lay on Quinn's head.

"Did I pass out? Because it just felt so fucking amazing…and then…I saw black." She said, almost as if high, as if on a cloud that was unreachable to Rachel, but then again it was almost as satisfying as an orgasm. To know that she had brought her to the edge, with her fingers…with her touch, with her words.

It was gratifying to a point where she could only smile at the beautiful woman.

"You scared the shit out of me, Quinn Fabray." She spoke softly, biting her swollen lip as the hazel eyes seemed to shine with contentment down at her.

"I love you Rachel."

"I love you too, Quinn."

It was a moment where Rachel ceased to notice anything else around her. The only thing within her vision was the sight of her vixen tangling her legs within hers and maneuvering her lips against hers with a nice fever.

Rachel stroked the locks carefully watching her blonde lover flutter her eyes closed tiredly.

"Tired?" She questioned, knowing the answer since it seemed they had only fallen asleep mere hours ago and it was barely eight o'clock.

Quinn yawned with a slight sense of tired ability. "Yes…it's safe to say you wore me out to the point of utter exhaustion."

"And unconsciousness…" Rachel murmured laughing softly, before kissing her girlfriend's forehead, "Sleep, baby…I'll be here when you wake up."

Quinn smiled at her and tucked her head into the space of her neck, before allowing the symptoms of sleep take over her.

* * *

It was slightly heart wrenching to pull her exhausted lover from her slumber, the second time.

Rachel had gotten up, and dressed in a comfortable outfit of shorts and a tank, her long locks thrown up into a messy ponytail.

In order to allow her lover to sleep, (because there was no way she was going to miss out on some free elliptical workout time), she indeed had said workout and after sweating and only making herself a little less sore, and drawing a bubble bath, she allowed herself now the privilege to stand over her wonderful blonde beauty as she slept very comfortably in the oversized bed.

She watched the way her hand clutched the pillow that would be Rachel had she not been standing over her body.

The blonde waves were lying wistfully around her shoulders and on her neck, and Rachel reached out to push said tendrils away from her before she squatted to press a kiss to her lovers neck.

She could get used to this.

She allowed her fingers to caress the hair that laid over her shut eyes, and pushed it back behind her ear.

Moving her lips over the ghost of her cheek, she murmured, "Baby…it's time to wake up."

The blonde stirred and allowed her eyes to fully open and peer into those of the brunette's.

"Miss me?" Rachel questioned.

And she was rewarded with a smile and the "Fabray eyebrow" raised in sarcasm.

"Maybe." She spoke and Rachel lowered her forehead to hers before she rubbed their noses together and pressed her lips to hers.

They moved softly, testing dangerously sweet tastes of each other. And Quinn sank into the brunette who had her hand buried firmly into the area of her tousled hair.

"Love me…" Quinn spoke quietly and Rachel pulled away from the breathy words that meet her ears.

"I will. I do…" She answered running her thumb softly over the expanse of her cheek with ease, darting her tongue out to lick her bottom lips before forming a smile with the same swollen lips.

"I drew a bubble bath, I thought that maybe you would like to join me? We haven't really had a chance to carry a nice conversation." Rachel said standing upright, and the blonde allowed her self to slowly raise from her previously sedated position.

She ran a hand through the locks, fluffing them at the ends, before grinning up at the hovering woman.

"That sounds nice…I'm thinking you may be a little sore too, baby." Quinn said, moving her body to stand upright before she kissed her soundly, moving to stand in the process before feeling her naked body being pulled backwards through the double doors of the master bathroom.

"We know whose fault that is," Rachel spoke with a small grin as she allowed her lover to reach for the hem of her tank top and pull it from her body in a quick flourish…revealing her bare chest.

"There is something seriously addictive about you, Berry." Quinn said smiling letting her eyes rake over the bare chest and very bruised neck of her girlfriend…hmmm…she very much enjoyed the thought of those people everyone seeing who she belonged to.

"Huh…did I do these?" Quinn spoke thoughtfully feeling over the dark sores with her thumb.

"Do what?" Rachel said confusing before hissing in pain. "That fucking hurts Quinn!"

Quinn raised her eyebrows, as she watched her girlfriend move to feel over her neck, running her fingertips over all of the many sore spots.

"Rach, have you even looked in the mirror?" Quinn spoke with an air of laughter in her voice as she watched the brown eyes of the little brunette widen and look at her suspiciously before stalking quickly over to the mirror with ease.

"Quinn Rosalie Fabray!"

"Oh fucking hell Rach, why did you have to say my middle name." Quinn groaned before turning around, realizing she was still naked.

"You have completely deteriorated the perfectly supple and ductile skin of my neck! It looks like I have resorted to some sort of physically violent conduct with another human being and they used their fists to cuff my very bronzed décolletage complexion, not to mention the horror that would sequester my very being if you damaged my vocal chords in any way by these barbaric marks now on my skin!" Rachel ranted still checking out the one, two, three, four, five marks that were encompassing her neck.

Quinn rolled her eyes at the girlfriend's Webster's dictionary word vomit moment before walking over to wrap her arms around her waist.

"The only damage to your vocal chords would be caused from the loud screams that those marks caused, baby." Quinn whispered huskily and Rachel bit her bottom lip as she felt the breath that caused said marks, ghosting over the self proclaimed masterpieces.

"Q-Quinn…" she stuttered in earnest nervousness, and the blonde grinned before sinking her teeth into a clear spot on her neck causing her girlfriend to move her neck to the side to allow her better access.

"Oh god…" Rachel cried gripping the edge of the countertop for stability.

"They're barbaric…but it's because you're mine. You belong to me, and I want the world to know, if they see these so called barbaric marks then they will not touch you…will they?" Quinn asked running her tongue along the basis of the mark she was speaking from making her girlfriend shiver all over.

"Fuck…"

"You wouldn't allow anyone's filthy hands to touch that supple and ductile neck, that neck that only I am allowed to touch, right?" She questioned again and the girl only moaned incoherently as the blonde's hand moved rapidly down her body, dipping past her shorts to her slick slit and thrusting two fingers into her.

"I didn't hear you." Quinn said lowly and Rachel felt her sink her teeth into her again earning another mark.

"No, Quinn…you're the only one…I'm yours," She panted quivering.

Quinn pulled her fingers from the girl's heat before using her hands to slide the shorts down from her hips, leaving them both very naked in the presence of each other, and when the brunette who was now just a little frustrated, allowed herself to turn to face Quinn Fabray, she had a look of determination on her face.

"Quinn, now why…would you do that…I need you baby…I-I need your fingers…" She said stepping towards the blonde and Quinn watched her wanton woman, as the brunette grabbed the dampened fingers and sucked her own juices clean from her lover's hand, making Quinn's arousal drip down her leg.

"You need them?"

"Yes…"

"How badly?" She asked and Rachel whimpered over the fingers and Quinn smiled, "What was that?"

"Badly Quinn…I need them to be inside me, stroking me, I need you to make me come mama…please?"

Quinn watched the eyes turn to the big wide spaces, very similar to the eyes of a cute doe and she wondered what she was going to do when she wanted something that wasn't satisfying for the both of them?

"Beg."

Rachel got down on her knees, and wrapped her arms around Quinn's waist, kissing the space above curl covered heat, kneading her ass with her small hands.

"Please Quinn, may I please be fucked…please?" She kissed lower onto the heated mound, before moving her hand to grab a thigh from the kneaded ass cheeks.

Sliding her tongue past Quinn's folds, she released a moan from the blonde, and Quinn threw her head back.

"Shit Rachel…you know I love your tongue…"

"Please Quinn, fuck me?" Rachel whined her voice vibrating against the moist slit. And Quinn moaned.

"Rachel…"

"Fuck me, mama."

And that was all it took.

Quinn growled at the address and pulled her lover from her knees, kissing her with a tongue that seemed intent on bedding some sort of message in the crevices of Rachel's mouth as it twirled and twisted and flicked over everywhere and her brunette beauty cried out into the kiss, muffled and desperate, clutching her woman tightly, as she pulled her bottom lip, nipping at it, before biting swiftly.

"Bathtub." Quinn said huskily.

And Rachel did not have be told twice. She turned and lowered herself into the large rounded bathtub, closing her eyes at the feeling of the warm water engulfing her body that seemed to be on fire from both her soreness and her arousal.

Quinn's hooded eyes studied her before she stepped in behind the woman, gapping her legs open, to allow Rachel the opportunity to slide in between her legs, which she did, her ass pressing against Quinn's sensitive mound of nerves.

The water was this type of wall it seemed, cradling their bodies, as Quinn pressed her mouth the tan skin of Rachel's neck, licking and sucking at the space in order to create even more dark spaces of possession.

The brunette leaned her head back on Quinn's shoulder as the blonde's hands slid down her body and towards her swollen bud, obscured by the high bubbles and heated water.

"Rachel how is it that I can tell you're so fucking wet even when we're under water?" Quinn said huskily, reaching one hand upwards to snatch the ponytail from its somewhat stable position.

"Oh Quinn…" Rachel breathed feeling her silk locks flood her neck and shoulders, the ends touching the tip of the water.

Quinn felt her lover bucking her hips upwards, causing the water to wade. She placed one hand on her thigh, before plunging three fingers into her girlfriend. Rachel slapped her hands on the edge of the tub, her eyes shutting tightly.

"Ah fuck Quinn!" Rachel cried out, bucking her hips to meet the fast pace of Quinn's fingers, her wall clenching around the digits as they slide quite easily in and out of heat as if it was nothing.

And Quinn herself felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her as her girlfriend bucked and thrashed around in the warm suds, her ass slamming against Quinn's own mound of arousal.

"Fuck Rach…look at you, so desperate and wet for mama, did you not get enough of last night?" Quinn gasped, as her girlfriend thrust herself forward, her head dipping over the allow the shield of brown locks to hide her face.

"Son of a bitch, Quinn…It feels so good, harder!" Rachel screamed, her body on fire from the sensation of the water and the fingers working together to create a mixture of wonderful emotions for her.

Quinn slammed her hand in and out of her lover harshly, watching her body twitch and writhe underneath her touch, and how her own sensitive bud was reacting to her, thrusting back against her and also pulsing upwards to meet her full fingers.

"Oh, fuck Quinn…more, baby…more!" She was sort of in shock, she had never seen Rachel behave like this, so desperate so, eager and slutty.

"You're behaving like a little slut, my little slut…thrusting yourself against my fingers to get off, do you not trust me to satisfy you?" Quinn spoke unable to understand how her voice still managed to be husky when she felt her body become laden with so much sexual energy that it was almost hard for her to breathe.

An incoherent response was all she received and she was not satisfied.

"Answer me." She growled, and cued her words to a severe thrust of fingers while simultaneously adding a fourth, but only one thrust she felt Rachel deserved.

"Fuck! Quinn, of I know you'll satisfy me…oh sweet Jesus, oh…I'm sorry baby, just please…please move."

Quinn smirked, and bucked her hips to Rachel's backside which caused her pelvis to thrust upwards into her fingers jammed into her tight muscles.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Rachel screamed, her brown eyes wide with energy and fire, fingers turning white with a grip on the bathtub, water swishing around her with each movement.

It was almost like they moved with an unknown force, and the warm liquid under their bodies just providing even more stimulation than the feeling of the slick figures pressed against one another.

Quinn let her eyes drift shut at the feeling, for she wasn't even really moving her hand…she felt her body move Rachel's in a sort of wade type motion and Rachel seemed to be so tightly clenched around the digits that Quinn could barely start a thrust.

"I'm going to make you come so fucking hard…" Quinn spoke lowly, before wrapping her arm around Rachel's body and slamming her fingers, all four of them, harshly into her heat quick strokes hitting that spot perfectly.

"Yes, Quinn! Fuck me…right there…please…" Rachel cried out, her head thrown back, resting on Quinn's shoulder, eyes shut with the feeling of her lover's fingers moving so desperately and quickly inside and out of her with a such an ease but such a force that made every inch of skin on her body light up with fire.

"Yes Quinn right there, fuck that's it…" Rachel chanted her hips moving so quickly that Quinn was sure she was going to pull a muscle by the sheer speed of her thrusts.

But every hump, cause her girlfriend's pert ass to com backwards on her clit and it made her cry out in pleasure herself…they were both so close.

"Come for me baby…come for mama…"

"Fuck! Oh yes, yes, Quinn!" Rachel rolled her hips and Quinn felt her eyes roll back into her skull as her girlfriend's walls clamped down on her fingers holding them into place as she released every bond on her body to hit the brink of ecstasy her lover had provided, bringing said lover over the hill with her, both with tightly shut lids and shallow breaths.

The water and forgotten suds were reduced to soft ripples around them, as Quinn allowed her other hand to trace lazy circles around the area of Rachel's stomach, feeling the area and just letting herself stay like this…inside of her girlfriend.

She couldn't think straight…pure bliss.

A sigh fell from the brunette's lips, and she spoke finally, "Tell me about you."

"Me?" Quinn asked, confused at the inquiry seeing as she had just allowed her eyes to open as she traced the skin of her girlfriend's stomach and belly button.

"Yes…you. I want to know everything I don't already know…I want to have something to do with anything that has to do with you…tell me about your life…your family." Rachel softly stated the words and felt her girlfriend's entire body stiffen.

She allowed her hand that was on the bathtub, earlier gripping the marble sides, to slide atop of her girlfriend's and clench swiftly.

"Relax, I understood before that you didn't want to talk about them…and we won't…"

"I want to tell you about them…I really do. But the point is…they are horrible people. They are. They are nothing but evil, evil, bible beaters who made my life a living hell…they did nothing for me, but keep me from doing the one thing that could've made my life perfect."

"And what was that they kept you from?"

"You."

Rachel bit her lip, unbeknownst to the reason Quinn never admitted to her true feeling for her in high school. She was pretty bold to even allow the brunette diva to even become close enough to be her friend, best one at that.

"Why?"

"Dad moved back in the middle of junior year, claiming his renewal in Christ and his awarded forgiveness for his infidelity or whatever. He came back…unchanged and focused on making me understand that I would always be a disappointment to him. That Beth was…nothing. That Beth was meant to be with some crack homosexual family whose children would only ever be dysfunctional. Half the time I walked past him…I ignored him, because my mom had shown me nothing except how weak and ignorant she was so, I spent as much time as possible out of the house, and tried my best to just count down the day til I didn't need them anymore…til I wouldn't have to listen to his bullshit hypocritical ways. I hated them both."

She took a breath to gather her thoughts, which is what Rachel presumed covering the blonde's hand intertwining their fingers as they laid there laid in a company of bliss and absolute contentment.

"They did not want me to be friends with you." She said answering the earlier inquiry about any reservations on a relationship between the two girls and Rachel closed her eyes as her girlfriend breathed the story of her unbearable relationship with her mother and father.

"They said you and your fathers were toxic…they didn't want me hanging around a product of a dysfunctional creation straight from the devil. I always just tuned him out and left anyway. I would come straight to your house…because I most definitely did not think you or your fathers were toxic…I just knew he was wrong…he had been wrong because all I ever thought about was you, and how much I loved you, and how much I wanted to be with you…you couldn't have been toxic." Quinn spoke softly, smiling fondly with a sense of knowing that her father had morally wrong for so many years.

"You spent a lot of time at my house."

"I hated being at home with…them. All he did was drink…and patronize me, he lived to criticize every single thing I have ever done in anything. He told me I wasn't losing my baby weight fast enough, told me that I would never be anything…he'd say, "I don't even know why we kept you…you weren't exactly a planned pregnancy…your sister was enough,"

Rachel thought she felt her heart break in two when the harsh words pierced her eardrums.

"What did your mother do?" She asked turning her head slightly to glance at her lover.

The blonde was silent, unable to really respond. Just sitting there, looking down into the clearness of the water watching the soap suds disintegrate into wherever they go.

"Absolutely nothing. She didn't do shit but sit there and be the mother she always was, keeping her mouth shut…because apparently her husband cheating on her is more damaging and her daughter being emotionally abused by her father wasn't enough to cause her to snap. Every time he would say something to me, Everytime he would curse me, and threatened me and she would stand there…as if she just couldn't bring herself to fight for me…her daughter. She was such a fucking coward."

Rachel rubbed the white knuckles, which were clutching her hand with a force unspeakable.

"I will never be like her, you know? I'll always stand up for my children…our children. I'll never abandon them during any problem…I won't. I'll love them that much, to protect them, to be a mom…to be who my mom should've been."

Rachel closed her eyes at the sound of the words_ our children _that emptied her girlfriend's mouth and she immediately saw a little blonde girl of the age of about four running around in a pretty flower dress in the backyard…and her beautiful blonde mother chasing after her with outstretched arms and heavy breathing…

"I don't speak to them…haven't since graduation. They've tried to talk to me, to get me to forgive them…they meaning my mother. But I won't. I will not ever step foot in that fucked up house ever again…ever."

"I think you should go back."

Quinn snapped her head to glance at her girlfriend with a look of utter repulsion. "For what? A repeat of when I told them I was pregnant?"

"I'll go with you baby."

Quinn raised and eyebrow. "I'm taking you there so you can be tainted with their presence, they 're not important they don't matter. They never will."

Rachel set her lips in a thin line, deciding to stop the conversation.

"Where is everyone now? From Glee? Do you know?" Quinn addressed deciding to ask of something she actually had been wanting to talk about, managing to steal the tension from the situation easily.

"Yeah…I try to keep in touch, with all of them. So far everyone has done well. Tina is actually the set and costume designer for _American Idiot_, and Artie is the director." Rachel spoke with a smile, and her lover folded her hands over the spot of her stomach, the water smoothing over them easily.

"Wow…I would've never seen Tina as a designer, like for Broadway and things…if anything maybe she would have been on Broadway, or a fashion designer or something…" Quinn spoke with a fond smile. She rested her chin on top of Rachel's head while the girl talked.

"She has her own line…too. The American Idiot thing is just sort of a side job, I talked to a couple of people and recommended her name and they already considered asking her, so…I guess it was fate."

"In the form of Rachel Berry." Quinn supplied and the brunette laughed.

"Ah, I think not…I just helped move the process along…anyway, they're married and expecting a little Abrams, soon." Rachel grinned and Quinn gasped.

"What? That's really amazing…how is Artie doing with, you know?"

"He's well…they're actually working with a couple of doctors on a cure…for him, he mostly walks now…a pair of crutches are needed…but he manages." Rachel said sweetly, and Quinn felt her heart soar a little.

Her and Artie were really good friends by the time senior year ended…they really wanted things to work out for the both of them…and he was a sort of blessing in disguise when Rachel wasn't available and she needed someone.

"Okay. I've got to ask…Kurt, Mercedes?" Quinn inquired with a big smile, and Rachel turned to look at her, before laughing.

"Mercedes is under my label, Kurt is her personal choreographer slash vocal coach slash stylist, he is a man of many traits." Rachel said thinking of her fashionable soprano.

"They're here?" Quinn said with her eyebrows raised in a hint of excitement. Rachel ran her finger down the base of Quinn's wrists.

"Excited?"

"You know I bonded with Mercedes, and I always wanted her to make it…I really did. But we just sort of fell out of touch…and I really hate it, so you signed her?" Quinn asked, and Rachel pressed a light kiss to her neck, craning her own a little in the midst of reaching it.

"I didn't, but she was just signed when I took over, you can say that she was a little bit more than happy to see me. I walked into my office on the first day to find a larger than life bouquet of roses sitting on my desk along with Mercedes, and Kurt in my leather chair." Rachel said with a laugh.

Quinn smiled shaking her head. There were more words in her vocabulary to express how upset she was at the fact that she had lost touch with all these wonderful life long friends, she was very much regretful.

"Of course, I presume Kurt was very stunned to see how well dressed you were, nowadays." Quinn asked and Rachel laughed slapping a little wetness to her girlfriend's arm.

"He told me I was getting better and offered himself up as a personal stylist to me as well as Mercedes stating that we were the biggest and best clients that he could possibly ever need, imagine that." Rachel said with an air of sarcasm.

"He does award shows on the side though…Mercedes is a bright and shining R&B artist who is going to make a lot of people a lot of money because her voice is absolutely amazing." Rachel gushed and Quinn smiled agreeing silently.

"I think you're right." Quinn spoke.

"She's actually dating Matt…who plays professional football." Rachel spoke and Quinn raised her eyebrows.

"Never saw that one coming, the football and the dating," Quinn said in pure shock and Rachel nodded her head as well.

"Neither did I, but they seem to have a really good connection, even though he's away most of the time, she actually loves him, and vice versa."

"And what about Mike?"

"Twelve consecutive dance movies within the last five years. He is a highly anticipated choreographer, I try to work a lot with him too, but he's in high demand, always answers for me though."

Quinn grinned, "And why is that?"

"I got him his first job." Rachel stated proudly, and Quinn could almost tell that her girlfriend's chest was protruding in earnest pride.

"Aww, I bet you never let him forget it either." Quinn said laughing.

"Nope."

"Haha, of course not, it would be so unlike you…it really would."

"Shut up. I presume you still talk to Noah?" Rachel questioned a little nervously and Quinn laughed.

"Yup. Baby Daddy, is what I call him. He's great, engaged…going to grad school." She stated more than proud of her friend.

He had seriously grown up after the whole baby gate fiasco and for that she was instantly grateful for. Because it allowed him to meet new and gorgeous people and become successful.

She talked to him from time to time about his life and how they both missed Beth, but that came naturally.

"So I've heard, and who is the lovely lady that he is giving the Puckerman name to?" Rachel inquired interested.

"Susanna Pepper?" Quinn supplied with a laugh and Rachel sat straight up.

"Do you mean Suzy Pepper? The crazy chick from high school?"

"The one and only. Turns out, they had more in common than he would of liked in the midst of his sophomore year in college." Quinn said fully laughing as Quinn turned and looked at her with a face of full disbelief embedded in her features.

"I never would have guessed that Noah would fall for someone with such…"

"Aggressiveness? Well he did date you…" Quinn spoke and Rachel turned around with her nose in the air as a true Berry would.

"Quinn Fabray, I'm almost about to break up with you with your amount of insults garnered towards my impeccable personality." Rachel spoke with finality and her girlfriend grinned.

"I bet. Anyways, I think we should get out of here, we're border lining brunch, gorgeous." Quinn spoke raising her lover upwards for herself to move and allow the dripping droplets to fall from her shining body as she rose and stepped out of the tub.

Rachel stared at her in awe licking her lips.

"We're um…having lunch…with someone?" Rachel spoke, immobile as she took in the sight of her lover glistening with water and cleanliness.

"Santana and Brittany…you know, you should invite Mercedes and Kurt!" Quinn spoke a little excited as she reached over to the shelf to grab a gold towel.

Rachel chose that moment to remember how her limbs worked.

"Um…I will…sure."

Quinn turned to glance at the girl, smirking at the sudden cotton mouth. "Something's caught Rachel Berry's tongue?"

Rachel smiled sheepishly as she stepped out of the bathtub, eyes raking over the tattoo lining up her girlfriend's arm.

"I wish you would catch it." She spoke huskily and Quinn licked her lips, before tucking her towel securely around her waist and stepping forward.

Pressed her covered body against Rachel's naked one, she reached down to grabbed the nude flesh of her ass, smacking her palm up against the wetness before catching the girl's gasp in a searing kiss.

She moved her tongue dominantly around the basis of the other girls, claiming her mouth, marking the territory as true Quinn Fabray property, causing Rachel to moan in pleasure and satisfaction.

Upon the sound, Quinn bit down on the bottom lip before sucking harshly on it.

Unstitching herself from the woman she smiled. "Come on baby, or we're only gonna be available for dinner."

**A/N: Sorry this took so long! But I wanted it just perfect for you guys! Next is some more revelations about the past of Quinn and Rachel, and a little input from Santana, Brittany, Kurt, and Mercedes. And also a mystery character whom some of you are not going to be too excited about hearing from. **

**Review!**

**-Mimi**


	10. Thanks For The Memories

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Don't kill me, please. I know it's been a while. Like a long while. Lol. If there are any readers still being patient enough to wait on another chapter for this story, I'll explain to you the reason for my absolutely ridiculously long leave of absence. Our computer crashed last year and so I had no means of writing up until now. That makes a truly long story short. I'm now ready to give you all what you have been yearning for and that is the (hopefully) anticipated new chapter of this story. Thank all of you who have been waiting and continue to enjoy the story. **

**BTW: Now that we have WI-Fi and a laptop I understand the joy that is being able to lay in the bed and write…amazing! This song is named after the Fall Out Boy song, "Thnks For The Mmrs" (Thanks For The Memories).**

**Disclaimer: I have hereby proclaimed reviewer, Mrs. Dianna Agron as my partner in explicit lesbian crime. As for our plans to conquer the universe with our gorgeous Glee women by our side…we have yet to finish. That includes the paperwork to that musical show that we both love so very much.**

Chapter 10

Santana and Brittany had agreed to meet Rachel and Quinn at a homely diner a little further into the city scene of West Hollywood, a little ways away from Quinn's shop.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the quaint restaurant, Rachel turned to her girlfriend noticing the suddenly pale skin that laid underneath the pitch black sunglasses she wore.

"Quinn, are you alright?"

Quinn just braced her hands on the steering wheel, although the car was in park. She had a look on her face as if she was trying to figure out whether she should get out of the car and make a run for it, or start the car back up and drive off and never come back. For the most part Rachel had absolutely no idea why her girlfriend suddenly seemed on the verge of an anxiety attack.

"Baby?"

"I was pretty horrible in high school, wasn't I?"

The question appeared out of thin air it seemed. Rachel was actually caught off guard by the sudden inquiry. She turned to face her body towards the windshield and she flattened her palm against the fabric of her pink dress.

"Quinn you weren't horrible, we were friends." She spoke softly, and lifted her eyes to glance at the blonde, whose hands were still taking refuge on the steering wheel of the car. It was as if it was keeping her upright in this particular moment.

"I'm talking about before, Rachel. Before senior year I was horrible to you, to everyone…it wasn't even until I was pregnant with Beth that I started being remotely civil to the glee club."

She spoke in a whisper, as if it was something that she had just now come to terms with, something unbearable.

"Quinn you were focused. You had certain issues that you needed to work out with your father, certain standards that you had to live up to. You were under a lot of pressure, I understand." The brunette took that time to place her hand upon Quinn's leg, trying to soothe her fears, trying to bring her from whatever state she was in.

"That doesn't excuse the way I treated Mercedes, before the pregnancy. During, I managed somehow to become her friend. We weren't really close afterwards. We traded conversation, but a close friendship? It just didn't happen. I treated you so horrible Rachel, I ruined most of your high school career with my insults, with my desperate need to quell my feelings for you with hatred. I was so in love with you, but so blind. And you have to forgive me for that. You have to…"

Rachel turned to Quinn and pulled the sunglasses from her eyes. "Quinn, listen to me. I've had feelings for you from the moment that you sat next to me in English in the seventh grade…do you remember that?"

Quinn remembered. She remembered walking into class and seeing every desk full of students. She remembered seeing all the kids making small talk, and then a short brown haired little girl in an argyle sweater and knee socks sitting alone in the very front.

Quinn laughed softly.

"I told you I liked your knee highs."

Rachel rested her hands on her cheeks, running her thumb over the space under her eyelids. "You did. I knew you were going to play a big role in me becoming the star that I would be, or if anything, the person I would be."

Quinn scoffed, "I bet you didn't imagine that role being throwing frozen drinks in your face every day, drawing pornographic pictures of you, and making your life a living hell for the rest of your high school career."

Rachel laughed, "I was determined to hold my head high. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. I just wanted to be friends with you so bad Quinn. I just kept telling myself to stick it out, because something in my gut told me that I needed you in my life in order for it to be complete. In that particular moment, I assumed as a friend, a confidant. But naturally, I was wrong."

Quinn turned her head away from Rachel's embrace. "I couldn't even give you friendship. I couldn't even return the grace and the honest good that you had given despite everything I had done to you."

"You couldn't until senior year. We were close senior year. I know you feel guilty and hurt that you should have offered me that sooner, but we were in high school. And you were dealing with more pressure than any of us could ever imagine. But I got that sliver of friendship senior year. I got to have the one person I had always wanted as a somewhat best friend. That made high school amazing for me, Quinn." Rachel smiled taking her hand.

"I still didn't stay in touch after, I should have told you how I felt. I owed you at least that. But I just couldn't Rachel, you know? I was so scared. Scared of the same rejection my parents had managed to give me my entire life. So I just left Ohio, and everything that was involved, with it. Or at least I tried to. I feel terrible. All these years and I was jerk for not even emailing anyone besides Puck, San, and B." Quinn squeezed her lover's hand.

She locked her hazel eyes to the dark chocolate ones staring back at her.

"I was fine at first, but how can I just walk into that diner and sit at the table and chum it up, with Mercedes and Kurt after not speaking to either of them for nine years? How can they not be offended? Fuck, how can you not be offended? How do you even believe that I love you?" Quinn said incredulously.

Rachel, pull her lips down to meet hers in a sweet kiss. She allowed her lips to move over Quinn's in a fashion that one could only call, cooling. She tangled her fingers in the blonde tresses, soothingly, swiping her tongue over her bottom lip before briefly slipping it into her mouth.

Quinn let her body sink itself into that of the short woman's. She allowed her to maneuver her emotions into those of absolute tranquility. She felt like she was trying to restore peace into her body, trying to restore proper order.

She may have been over exaggerating her anxiety, but she couldn't help it.

She had been so incredibly cruel to these people, especially Rachel, and now she was dating her and about to go into a room to exchange memories with people she didn't even bother to keep contact with after high school. People she had only begun to know when their days of no responsibility and drama had wound down to nothing. It was the first time she had ever thought about how much she missed out on.

Rachel pulled away, "Because I know you love me. I can feel it all over my body. Words can't even explain Quinn. Your love radiates all over my body like some sort of shield. I feel so wrapped up in it constantly. I have forgiven you for everything that happened in high school Quinn. It was just high school. I love you and so do Mercedes and Kurt. They know that after we got out of Lima that we were all focused. They do not fault you for that; they just want you to be happy, they are glad you are finally happy. We all watched you go through everything, painfully. For a long time I was jealous of Mercedes. That night at regional's I figured out that I was in love with you and you went into labor before I could even tell you. The person I loved more than anything in the world was birthing a child and I had to stay behind at some fucking choir competition. I wished I could have been there…holding your hand. I wish I could have kissed your forehead and pushed your hair out of your eyes. Eventually I got the girl, and if I had to I'd go through everything to get you again. Do not beat yourself up over things you cannot control, Quinn. Please, allow yourself to be happy. I promise that there's nothing to worry about. You have me and Santana and Brittany, Puck and now Mercedes and Kurt." Rachel raised the hand she was holding to her mouth and pressed her lips against the knuckles softly.

Quinn stared at Rachel. She was really fretting over nothing. But she couldn't help but think of all the mistakes she made and how she had shut off from so many people because of her situation.

But now, she had this beautiful woman in front of her, telling her that it was okay. She had this beautiful woman trying to make her understand that no one faulted her for her actions in high school, she had people who were waiting on her in that restaurant so they could get to know the new and improved Quinn Fabray.

They were ready to understand everything that was this new refined version of the girl they had once known in high school.

"I love you." Quinn stated softly.

Rachel smiled and ran the tip of her finger down her woman's nose. "Good, otherwise we'd have some major problems."

* * *

Rachel was absolutely beside herself with happiness holding the hand of her lover as they walked into the diner.

Quinn ran the hand of her tattooed arm through her blonde locks nervously. She glanced down at her appearance of a red short sleeved t-shirt, cut off shorts, and black converse.

"They're probably gonna think I'm a fucking freak, I could just see Mercedes giving me the 'oh hell no' look." Quinn laughed quietly to herself. Rachel slapped her hand lightly against the girl's chest.

"Quinn they won't say that...they are much more understanding than they were back in school. Honestly, they didn't even judge you then." Rachel spoke as they walked towards a table in the back that the hostess had directed them towards.

"Even when I had violently pink hair and walked around in black leather at the beginning of our senior year?"

"Well, we just all chalked it up to you going through a major identity crisis." Rachel laughed. Quinn pressed a kiss to the top of the shorter girl's head.

"I loved the pink hair, girl I thought it was a major fashion statement."

"But the leather and the black, I definitely could have lived without."

Quinn was brought face to face to the black girl she had once called her best friend out of many, and the fashionable boy who managed to make a statement in more ways than one.

She stared at them, offering a small wave before her ears were assaulted with screams of excitement, as she was engulfed in a group hug of sorts.

"Oh my god Quinn Fabray, it's been so long! I see you have taken that scruffy punk look you started at the beginning of our senior year and turned it into something poetically pleasing to the eye. I'm so proud! You have to tell me how you adapted this style and where those beautiful tattoos came from, oh my goodness…how could you not let us know in high school that you were such an amazing artist?"

Kurt had steered the startled blonde to a seat next to him and across from her girlfriend and to say she was at a loss of words was the understatement of the year.

"Well I-"

"Anyways, how did you end up in California? At UCLA? How could you not have told us? We would have been so happy for you Quinn, none of us saw you after graduation except socially challenged across from you who refused to tell us anything. We were so worried. I was glad to hear eventually that you had made something of yourself, we always knew you'd be successful, how long did it take you to figure out that you wanted to be an artist? And even then, a tattoo artist? You simply must tell us everything!" Kurt continued to gush. Quinn looked to Rachel for help but Mercedes was the one who came to her rescue.

"Damn boy, let the girl get settled before you interrogate her. Jesus, she looks like she's about to throw up." Quinn did feel herself sweat a little bit, but she laughed at Mercedes' comment.

"It's alright, I know you probably are both wondering how I ended up here… I did just kind of leave Lima without an explanation to most." She looked at Rachel again who was giving Kurt a glare.

"I was not socially challenged!"

"Oh please when it came to Quinn the rest of us were transparent and nonexistent. You were the only one who knew where she was going for college. But you didn't tell us anything. You just acted as if you never heard us. You never answered questions about her, or anything. All the way up until you went on your quest to find her, then you became an actual live speaking person," Kurt said matter-of-factly, then as an afterthought he added, "by the way you need your eyebrows plucked."

Rachel scoffed, "Well I figured at first, for whatever reason, that Quinn didn't want everyone to know all of her business, that she didn't want her entire life story broadcasted to the state of Ohio. And everyone at this table knows that if I would have told you, she would have been found and interrogated a long time ago…and I can go another week before they need to be plucked actually." She reached in her purse for a mirror as if the hairs in question would suddenly grow at a rapid pace.

Quinn smiled warmly at the woman. Mercedes grabbed the top of her hand from beside Rachel and spoke, "Quinn, we all understand that you probably were the first person ready to get the hell out of Lima."

The blonde smiled, "Thank you, Mercedes. But I do apologize for not giving you or Kurt or anyone besides Brittany and Santana any type of communication after high school. But I am here now, and I did miss you guys. So, feel free to ask me anything you'd like, I want to catch up with you guys as much as possible." Quinn folded her hands together and could feel her body relax with the knowledge that the two were just honestly curious and not pissed at her lack of social skills when they graduated.

"I hope you didn't think that you bitches were going to catch up before we got here." Quinn rolled her eyes at the voice of her two best friends.

Santana stood in a loose t-shirt and jeans with a fedora perched on the top of her head while her wife jumped up and down squealing at the sight of her long lost classmates.

"Mercedes! Kurt!" Brittany leaned over to give them both hugs before settling in the seat next to Rachel whom she hugged as well.

Santana plopped down next to Quinn. "Glitter, Aretha, it's good to see you."

"Santana, still as effervescent as ever." Kurt replied taking a sip of water while donning a smirk.

"So, where are we starting with the catching up? Because Quinn has been in love with Berry since regional's." Santana stated coolly picking up her menu to scan the choices for lunch.

Mercedes and Kurt both looked at each other wildly before exclaiming, _"What?"_

"Fuck, Santana you could have warned me before we were starting with the deep shit." Quinn ran her fingertips through her silky tresses and she felt Rachel's hand slide over hers and squeeze it lightly.

Instantly her body relaxed.

"I have loved Rachel ever since she sang faithfully at regional's, and probably before that…but I never noticed."

Kurt snapped his fingers, "I knew it! That's where all the hatred came from, you were really struggling with your feelings for her."

"I was struggling with feelings as well though, I actually realized it that night too. It's fairly ironic." Rachel picked up her glass of water and sipped it lightly.

"So I want to know what the fuck was loaded into those Journey lyrics that made you two become all ready to bump kitties." Santana laughed.

"Well, San they always loved each other, they were just waiting for their lemons to pressed, or something of that sort…right?" Brittany spoke questionably and Santana nodded to her wife.

"So that explains the feuding over Finn? He was a decoy for both of you, so you had to make it look like you were fighting over him for a while to keep people from discovering that you two were both lesbians?" Mercedes questioned.

"Well, I like to think of it as a little less dramatic than that, I actually had feelings for Finn for a while-"

"Why, we'll never know." Santana cut through.

"-But, I needed Quinn's friendship more. Eventually I understood that Finn and I weren't going anywhere, but something in me was telling me that I needed Quinn more."

Quinn smiled despite her discomfort at the mention of Finn's name.

"Honestly it was a little bit more on the dramatic side for me. I needed to make it seem like I hated Rachel because of Finn, I needed to hate her because loving her was wrong, according to my parents. I only became her friend senior year because I realized that I couldn't hate her and I couldn't ever live without her."

Kurt sighed and looked at Mercedes with eyes full of happiness. "That's adorable!"

Rachel smiled at her girlfriend and rubbed her hand soothingly.

Santana scoffed, "Yes so fucking adorable."

Mercedes laughed, "Satan what did you end up doing after high school besides apparently pulling your head out of your ass and marrying Brittany?"

Santana smiled proudly, "I became a lawyer, one of the biggest and highest paid ones in the state actually." She folded her arms across her chest as if to say, "bring it on", and Kurt looked on interested.

"Should of known all that bitchiness in high school would amount to something in your life. So you're a lawyer, what kind of lawyer?"

"Any fucking kind I want to be. I studied for every type of law there is. I have several degrees. I have handled family court cases to murder cases. Plus I got my degree in business and investments." She said looking around. "Where is the fucking waiter, I'm fucking starving."

"San owns a share of Quinn's business." Brittany spoke softly picking up the salt shaker and examining it.

Kurt's eyebrows raised high to his forehead. "You two finally got along long enough to be able to run a business together?"

Rachel actually furrowed her eyebrows as well because she never once realized how surreal this all would have been had they thought about it during their years in high school.

"Santana, while crude and absolutely the most fucking annoying best friend I have ever had the pleasure of associating myself with in my entire life, is in Kurt's words the perfect bitch."

"Fuck you too, Fabs. Anyway, I heard Q over here was getting her entrepreneur on and thought, why not gets my investing on, I mean anyone at this table will agree that Quinn is cold as ice when her name is attached to something, and while I may be the queen bitch, Blondie here puts the "bitch" in head bitch in charge." Santana squinted her eyes around the restaurant before spotting a flush looking girl scurrying over to their table.

"About fucking time, hey? Bambi? We've been sitting here wasting away precious breath while you've been playing beauty parlor in the reflection of the toasters, wanna do your job sometime soon?" The Latina quipped.

The red head teen that oddly reminded them all of the guidance counselor from their high school years turned absolutely red in the face and hurried to pull out her note pad.

Quinn rolled her eyes, "Jeez asshole, give her a break. We apologize for subjecting you to having the task of waiting on Lucifer." Quinn spoke softly to the poor girl who couldn't have been over nineteen.

"San, be nice to the cute waiter-girl, Quinn don't call my wife Lucy, that's your name. Anyways, I want anything that doesn't involve eggs…I already feel bad when I have to go to the park and leave the ducks there alone. I don't want to eat their babies." Brittany said grabbing her wife's hand from across the table.

The girl looked on very confusedly but everyone just chuckled not bothering to correct Brittany.

"Ahem, I agree I will be having the vegan special, and may I please have a cup of coffee?" Rachel spoke lightly.

The waitress continued to write orders down, including Quinn's all bacon grand slam, and Santana's ridiculous request of the biggest amount of hash-browns they could legally provide.

It wasn't until the redhead girl took Rachel's menu that her faced morphed into one of complete shock. "You're Rachel Berry…"

Rachel smiled softly at the girl. "Yes, I am, and you are…" She looked at her name tag. "Annie, so appropriately named with your beautiful red hair." The girl blushed.

"I'm such a fan. I've seen every Broadway play you have ever been in, even before you starred! And I have bought every album ever, oh my god, and you're Mercedes aren't you? I've seen your stuff on YouTube, and I was so pumped when I found out you were signed to Universal! I-would you mind if I got both of your autographs?" She stuttered out quickly reaching under their order sheet grab a piece of paper for them to sign.

Quinn watched her girlfriend humbly sign her autograph next to Mercedes, before handing it back to the girl.

There was no shock or surprise that everyone on the earth looked at Rachel Berry and saw the same golden angel that she had seen ever since high school.

"I'll make sure to get your orders right out, alright?" The girl said taking the menu's quickly.

"Yeah, step on it." Santana spoke sharply, with a smirk, watching the girl trip over herself in a rapid attempt to actually get their orders out quickly.

"Wow, talk about star treatment?" Kurt spoke excitedly to his best friend who seemed over the moon that she had been recognized. But Rachel seemed particularly calmed at the whole situation which baffled Santana.

"Jeez Berry, when did you become so…tame?"

"Every time I honestly am in a state of hazy confusion as to why they are so interested in me and why they always get so excited to see me. So it's more of a wow, you want my autograph? Rather than pride or excitement. Sure at first I was pretty excited, like Mercedes should be, but now…it only makes sense to be extremely humble."

Quinn pressed her lips to her lovers knuckles smiling at her. "It makes beautiful sense. But I don't understand how you can't see why they wouldn't want your autograph. They love you, you're absolutely amazing."

"You both make me want to vomit."

"Good, maybe you'll do me a favor and drown in it." Quinn said coolly smirking at her friend who punched her arm lightly.

The table vibrated and the entire group glanced at the most fashionable diva at the table. Kurt pulled his computer of a phone from its spot. His face paled and he glanced up at Rachel who raised eyebrow.

"Paps caught up with you, one minute warning."

"What? What are you talking about-" But before her sentence could be finished her cellphone rang out, in a truly ironic fashion breaking the conversation.

Rachel's eyes grew hard at the name on the screen and one word was uttered from her mouth.

"Fuck."

Quinn looked at her, questioning her well being, asking her if she was alright with the specks in her hazel pupils. "Rach?"

"Rachel, I don't think now is the time-" Kurt started. But Rachel's hard voice cut him off.

"Please excuse me."

She squeezed Quinn's hand and rose from the table to take the call.

Everyone sat there truly confused at the sudden interruption just as Annie appeared donning a large tray with their "brunch". Santana was the first to break the awkward silence. "What the fuck was that about?"

Quinn was grateful for her friend bringing the obvious at attention because she was truly locked in a state of confusion herself.

"I have absolutely no idea, Kurt…is Rachel okay? And what was that about a two minute warning or something?" Quinn said looking to the skinny man sitting next to her.

"Um, I – uh, it really is up to Rachel to tell you –"

"Spill Judy Garland, what the fuck has Rachel saying obscenities that isn't Q's fingers?" Santana said truly curious.

"I…really it is her-"

"Kurt damn, since when do you hold back on gossip?" Mercedes questioned to her fashionable best friend.

"The paparazzi caught you two walking out of the nightclub wrapped very closely around each other last night."

Quinn rolled her eyes because she didn't really care, "Well I don't care…I know Rachel is pretty big, and it is L.A."

"True. But it can get truly annoying sometimes especially if you're trying to keep any type of secret, Matt and I can never really shake them."

Quinn understood. She honestly had had her fair share of run in's with them. For what reason she would never understand because she never regarded herself as any type of celebrity. But they could be absolutely ruthless when they wanted a shot.

She allowed herself to wonder where they could have been hiding the night before. Surely she would have seen them?

But then again she didn't she anything that wasn't her girlfriend. They were practically stumbling to get to the car, so she could make love to her.

"So what's the big fucking deal they are a fucking nuisance but, Queen Berry of Universal Kingdom should be extremely comfortable shouldn't she? I don't take Berry as the shy type, especially when it comes to her relationship."

"Yeah Rachel never really tried to stay in Narnia…she decided to come back to McKinley when her and Finn broke up." Brittany said taking bites from her and her wife's plates.

"She isn't shy…there are just certain problems that arise when her business gets in the news." Kurt tries to end curtly.

"Problems?" Quinn questioned, confusedly.

"Well, just one."

And like clockwork Rachel appeared with a tight smile on her face, and she sat herself next to Mercedes using a quick nod of her head to signal that she was "fine".

"Rachel?" Kurt said softly and Rachel flicked her eyes to him before looking at Quinn.

"Baby, you alright?" Quinn said looking across the table at her girlfriend who grimaced at her.

"I'll be fine. I just got a fairly unpleasant call." She took her fork and stabbed into her vegan pancakes with a certain amount of vigor that Quinn couldn't quite place. She locked her hazel eyes on the form of the love of her life wondering what changed her mood so quickly.

"Oh, alright…" Quinn spoke, baffled at her lover's attitude that clearly read that she was upset.

"Berry, the jig is up, who was on the phone that caused you to come back with your face tighter than Joan Rivers?" Santana demanded.

"Santana, knock it off." Quinn said.

"It's fine Quinn-"

"What? I'm honestly concerned. It's not like I'm accusing her of talking to her mistress or some shit, unless you actually were. If that's the case, confess so I can kick your ass and get it over with."

"Shut up, Santana." Quinn snapped at the Latina.

"It was Finn."

The entire table went silent save for the clinking of the forks that dropped to the plates in earnest surprise.

"_Finn?" _Mercedes said, in shock looking to Kurt for confirmation who looked down at his plate. The eyes were darting in between Rachel who was waiting for a response and Quinn who was stunned into silence.

However, the ever so eloquent Santana Lopez seemed to take the words briskly from her mouth.

"_What the fuck?"_

**A/N: Whoo well this seemed like an appropriate place to end it after being out practice for so long. This was one of those nasty filler chapters, which I apologize for, but it was needed to move the plot along.**

**The next chapter will explain Rachel's discomfort about Finn, and give Quinn's reaction to it all. I hope you all forgive me for the long wait, but there was nothing I could do about my computer crashing. All is well now though and I'll be writing a lot more, I promise.**

**Review please!**

**-Mimi**


	11. Do You Understand?

_Faithfully_

**A/N: So I said to myself, I am determined to get this chapter up before the end of next week. So let's get going, shall we?**

**First of all the response to the last chapter was amazing. Although it wasn't many reviewers, I understand, and I appreciate every single review I got. I hope all of you understand that I love every bit of criticism and advice you guys give me about the story. It makes me extremely happy, you have no idea. So, that really puts me in the writing mood when you guys give me a piece of advice, let alone a paragraph worth of opinions about where the story is going or the simple, "you're back!" I received. You guys are truly appreciated; you have no idea at all. **

**Anyways, enough of my gushing about how amazing the reviews are. They just are. Understand? *hint hint* that was my pre-chapter pun, ha ha.**

**BTW: This chapter is named after a Jill Scott Song I heard once that I honestly don't remember the name of, but I know that the main line is "Do You Understand." **

**Disclaimer: I have hereby proclaimed reviewer, Mrs. Dianna Agron as my partner in explicit lesbian crime. And reviewer SuperNina has claimed Heather Morris as hers in this elaborate plan. As for our plans to conquer the universe with our gorgeous Glee women by our side…we have yet to finish. That includes the paperwork to that musical show that we both love so very much.**

Chapter 11

The bold words that seemed to represent the feelings of every single person inhabiting the table resounded in a sea of a deathly silence that seemed to pass forever.

Rachel let her eyes travel to Quinn, who seemed to have fixated her eyes on a focal point in the distance.

Before she could allow herself to address the blonde, the fiery voice belonging to the Latina who had taken it upon herself to be the spokesperson for everyone's feelings, spoke up once again.

"Again I say Berry, what the _fuck _do you mean you just got off of the phone with Finncompetent?" She demanded of the shorter brunette.

"I-"

"Rachel what the hell is going on here, and why haven't you told me sooner?" Mercedes said, looking at Rachel with a look of true shock value. Rachel opened her mouth in her own defense but Kurt jumped to her rescue.

"She doesn't really owe anyone an explanation, except maybe Quinn. It is wrong of all of you to go all Elaine Stritch on her as if she needs to give you guys a complete play by play of her life-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just calm your lingerie Perez Hilton; no one is demanding anything out of the dwarf. I am Quinn's best friend, and to find out that her girlfriend's ex is blowing up her phone over a picture of them is a little bit suspicious, what do you think?" Santana said, running her finger over her wife's hand that placed on the table. Brittany seemed clearly unfazed by everything happening.

Santana casted a look to said best friend, who had both fists clenched and was still studying her coveted focal point, as if the world had stopped moving.

"It's not suspicious Santana there is nothing going on between those two-"

"Kurt you're one to talk, you seem on the defensive side yourself. If there isn't anything fucking going on then you two wouldn't have decided to conduct what seems like the biggest disaster of a fucking secret in the world, it has to be serious because you didn't tell Effie over there." Santana said as casually as she could muster.

"Watch it, Satan. What Rachel and I keep is none of anyone's damn business. There are things that don't have to be shared with everyone. Anyways who the fuck decided you deserved to know anything about Quinn's relationship with Rachel?" Kurt snapped at her, everyone seemed to be in complete shock that the boy was getting so worked up. Even Santana seemed to gasp a little bit at the usage of his f-bomb.

But she recovered quickly.

"Fuck you; I am Quinn's best friend."

"I'm Rachel's and Finn's my brother so fuck you too."

"Enough!"

The voice snapped through the thick air and rendered everyone absolutely speechless. Quinn chose that moment to let her eyes lock with the brunette's.

"Quinn, darling, I wasn't keeping anything from you. I would never do that." Quinn let her eyes travel to the hand on her thigh that was squeezing along with the soft spoken words of reassurance, and she wondered if that was what she really needed.

She honestly didn't know what she needed.

She needed a moment to collect herself from the pile of utter shit that she had fallen into on the arrival of Rachel's confession.

She had her own insecurities about Finn.

It seemed in high school he would drop Rachel like a sack of bricks and then come right on back to glee, sing her a sappy love song, and worm his way back into her heart again.

He had the ability to make her own girlfriend open her heart to forgiveness like no other and she hated every bit of it.

"I was going to tell you, but I was too focused on hearing about you, about Beth and your father. I didn't think it was important for you to know about how things were with Finn..at least not right now. I didn't want to upset you but it looks as if that's inevitable at this point, right?"

Quinn tilted her head to the side, and raked over her lover's face.

"You didn't think it was important to tell her that Finn is calling you and bitching you out over a paparazzi picture of you holding her hand?" Mercedes questioned.

Rachel sighed, "I didn't even see that goddamned picture."

Kurt sighed, "Now's a better time than ever to catch everyone up on your life, Rach."

Rachel sighs rubbing the tips of her fingers over the smooth skin of Quinn's leg under the table. "It's really hard, you know?" She spoke to herself more than anyone.

This was the moment where everyone realized that the Rachel Berry from high school was officially no more.

The Rachel Berry that they had grown to love, or hate, or maybe love to hate was gone. Because that Rachel Berry would have had no problem sharing about her life, any aspect of it for the people that wanted to hear it. This led Quinn to believe that maybe her girlfriend had something's she wasn't exactly proud of.

Rachel opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but it seemed that her voice was caught in her throat.

Quinn licked her lips and moved her hand over her lovers.

She still hadn't spoken to her, but her hands seemed to do the talking for her. She was telling the brunette that it was okay. Despite the fact that Quinn had absolutely no clue what she was in store for.

Her body seemed to conflict with her heart.

She knew that if Finn was involved and her lover was stirred up to this point, that it couldn't be good. She was still in a state of disbelief, wondering where this was going.

Rachel sighed, "When we graduated high school, Finn went to the army as he had planned. We had a legit relationship, he sent me letters while he was in boot camp, and when he had leave…he'd come to visit me in New York."

"You and Finn stayed together? I figured you two broke up when you guys left…you were spending so much time with Quinn and talking about change-"

"We just assumed that you had outgrown Finn as a boyfriend at the way you two were acting and how you and Quinn had gotten over the whole boyfriend stealing phase of your life." Mercedes said confusedly.

Santana scoffed, "Apparently they were just in the closet."

"I told Finn we could try. I told him that I would try my hardest to make it work…despite the fact that I was so in love Quinn, I know this is stupid but he seemed more practical. I could see Finn loving me back because despite everything…he honestly did."

Quinn flinched at her words; she understood why the girl could have apprehension for pursuing a relationship with her. She had spent the last four years from eighth grade and on hating her guts for absolutely no reason.

"I couldn't fathom my relationship with Quinn going any further. We were close enough to satisfy me and I figured that was all I needed. She was headed to UCLA and I would be on a completely different coast. So, I told Finn that we could try…"

Everyone let their eyes trace the dark chocolate orbs of the girl and watched her as she struggled to continue.

"It was good for a while, hard with the distance…but maybe not so much because I didn't love him completely. I just didn't want to be alone. So I dealt with it. I found myself comfortable with him being gone, while I was at school. I could hide behind my music, behind my craft. It was an alright living situation."

Santana stared hard at the girl, "So where did the shit go wrong?"

Rachel stared in the distance, "He wanted more. Boot camp was over, he'd finished schooling and so had I…he wanted to move back to Ohio-"

"Of course," Said Mercedes.

"-Just as I had gotten my first starring role, it was off-Broadway, but only because they were trying to fund a revival of it, which I would later star in."

"Naturally, I refused to go back to Ohio with him. I wasn't about to give up the one thing I had worked my ass of in Julliard to achieve. I told Finn no."

Quinn would be lying, if she told you that the fact that her girlfriend refused to give up her dreams didn't warm her heart.

She wouldn't be able to forgive the girl or Finn if the brunette would have ruined everything she had worked so hard for her entire life. That was the one of the things that kept Quinn from telling the girl of her feelings, because she did not want to jeopardize her dreams in any way.

"Finn didn't want to break up, especially after everything he had gone through." She spoke quietly.

"Well of course Finnocence doesn't dare consider everything you had gone through. Did you once ever think about giving him up completely and going after Quinn? You were already practically living without him despite his occasional leaves. Fuck Rachel, I thought Quinn was the dense one." Santana sighed stabbing her pancake.

"I thought about Quinn every single day, I thought about her every time Finn touched me, or spoke to me, or mentioned anything that had to do with Quinn or high school. I refused to talk about her to him…I couldn't do it. Despite everything going the way I had planned it, I knew I had made the biggest of my life."

She raised her orbs to stare at the hazel ones, finding a small edge of empathy in them. Quinn had been in L.A. thinking the same thing.

"So what happened?"

"Finn got based in New York. He was there when the show went to Broadway, he was there for everything. We spent all this time together, and I slowly fell out of love with him."

"Weren't you already out of love with him?" Mercedes inquired.

"At the time I mistook the loneliness for love…but now that I look at things, yes I was. However, Finn did not understand that. He never saw the signs of my discomfort as anything other than weird, or either he associated them with the various excuses that I provided him with."

Rachel sighed, "He still wanted more. He asked me to marry him."

Quinn squeezed her girlfriend's hand tightly at the mention of marriage. She looked at Quinn directly and said, "Again, I told him no."

Everyone watched the emotions change on Rachel's face. "He got so angry…he thought I didn't love him at all. He left for a while, but came back saying that he'd wait for me until I was ready.

My career had taken off so well though, I had a couple of big time Broadway shows under my belt and a tony nod on the way…I knew I wouldn't ever be ready to marry. At least I wouldn't ever be ready to marry him."

She let a small smile trace her lips, "I knew who my heart belonged to though. But despite knowing that, despite having full knowledge that you were my destiny, I continued to stay with Finn." Rachel was starting to grow quieter now, and Quinn had a sick feeling about the way this story was turning out.

"I got distant…I didn't spend much time with him, I buried myself in my work, I refused to move in with him, I stayed as unattached as possible…and it started taking a toll on Finn."

Santana's eyes grew soft at this and the other hand of Rachel's that lay on the table; she allowed her hand surprisingly to move atop of it.

"H-he would snap at me over the littlest things…and we'd argue all the time…the aching in my heart that I felt for Quinn didn't help the cause…it made my need to be away from him grow stronger, I knew sooner or later I'd have to leave him. I knew that I was misleading him, but it seemed to be easier to deal with not having Quinn with someone, then being alone and wallowing over someone that to my knowledge didn't even want me."

She casted her eyes down to the table, "The night I was ready to end things, he came to my apartment…and…"

She swallowed. "I told him that I couldn't lie to him anymore…that it wasn't going to work. I told him that I didn't love him like I used to, that I had fallen out of love with him a long time ago…and that I was sorry that I hadn't told him sooner instead of leading him on. I told him that I understood that he might not want to be friends…but I cared about him enough to still want to be friends with him."

She looked up at Quinn, "He just got so mad…he thought that I was telling him that I never loved him, he accused me of cheating on him…he grabbed me and was shaking me, demanding the answers out of me…I told him no. I told him that I loved him, always did…but I wasn't in love with him anymore. He told me I was lying to him, and his eyes were wild, he was shaking me so hard I could feel myself getting dizzy…all I could remember was him stopping long enough to raise his hand back…"

Quinn's eyes glazed over as the next words came out of Rachel's mouth, "He hit me so hard."

The entire table was so silent that even the noise from the other parts of the restaurant couldn't penetrate the bubble of quietness that had surrounded the former gleek's table.

"I literally was thrown backwards into my shelf…" She felt her eyes grow hard. "He grabbed me and he just kept hitting me, over and over again." She bit her lip.

"He kept telling me it was my fault, he kept telling me that I was a liar, and I deserved the pain that he was feeling…I tried to get him to stop…I screamed his name over and over again. I remember going hoarse from yelling for him to stop…and then finally it was like something snapped in him and he stopped hitting me."

She closed her eyes tightly. She couldn't bring herself to look at Quinn.

"I collapsed, because I was bleeding so profusely…I had lost all of my energy. I felt terrible. He leaned down and tried to pick me up but I pushed him away. He tried to tell me that he was sorry, he starting crying…but I told him to leave…he just kept saying over and over again that he loved me, that he never do it again…he continued to pull me to him. He kept trying to pick me up…" she couldn't finish, but Kurt was right there with her, his hand on her hand along with everyone else at the table.

"Finn got angry when Rachel finally got the strength to push him off of her, he went crazy…he tried to-he tried to choke her." Quinn balled her other hand into a fist so tightly that you could see the white of her knuckles as she listened.

"I happened to be coming over that night afterwards, Blaine was in town at the time and we had decided to be there for Rachel afterwards."

Kurt spoke of his boyfriend that he met during his senior year. They stayed together ever since. They both moved to New York and got accepted to NYADA. However Blaine went on the entertainment route, whereas Kurt ended up going back to school for fashion.

"I had been knocking on the door when I heard Finn screaming as he choked her…luckily Blaine knocked down the door in time…Rachel was almost blue in the face when Blaine pulled him off of her."

Quinn's eyes still focused on Rachel, but it wasn't like she was looking at her, it was more like she was looking through her. Rachel felt like she was under so much scrutiny, it was as if the girl was trying to decipher the words that were assaulting her ears.

"Finn completely went nuts…I called the police before Blaine had knocked him out. They trashed Rachel's apartment pretty bad." He finished.

Rachel took that moment to speak. "He got dishonorable discharge, and served some time in jail. I had to stay in the hospital for a little bit. My fathers and I wanted to insure that nothing major had been done to damage my vocal chords. After he served his time, he got permission from his probation officer to call me on the phone to talk. He apologized so much…told me he didn't know what he was thinking. He said he loved me so much and he always would, he told me he wanted another chance…I told him I forgave him, but I couldn't do it."

Rachel casted her eyes so deeply into her lovers, trying to pull the blonde from the deep place she seemed to be in. Her eyes begged for the hazel ones to join them.

"I told him that we could always be friends though, and he handled it pretty well. He moved back to Ohio, and I got my Tony's. I got a record deal and had put the whole thing behind me; we talked every now and then on the phone…brief conversations. But he started to get attached to me again…he called a lot, and he started getting angry every time I spoke to him about something new in my life."

"The worse moment was when I finally gained the gall to tell him about my love for Quinn…he snapped on me, told me I was lying and that I could never be gay, because I had sex with him. He claimed that Quinn had done something to me, changed me. He threatened to come back to New York and find me, and hurt me. He didn't want to hear anything I had to say. I hung up the phone, and he slipped into relapse and got arrested for trashing some bar in Cleveland. Went back to jail, and then got back out on probation again. He was sentenced to permanent probation in Lima…I try to cut off contact with him but…he calls me every now and then. Goes on a long winded rant…it only happens every now and then, but every time we usually end up in an argument…today he called to tell me that he saw the pictures of Quinn and I leaving the club last night…I pick up the phone because I honestly do care about him…I honestly think that maybe one day we can be friends."

The table was in shock. There were so many bizarre things about the information that Rachel had shared with them. Too much to decipher. Santana stared at the brunette girl in complete and utter disdain.

The brunette didn't have any idea what was going through her friend's brains, but she knew they probably all thought she was an idiot for still associating with Finn.

Surprisingly, she didn't care though. She had her own reasons, and her own morals despite what they thought.

She did however, wonder what her girlfriend thought of her. She pulled her hand out from under Santana's to grab onto the fist that laid on the table. The woman's jaw was clenched so tightly, Rachel was sure that it would lock up. She touched the whitened knuckles before whispering to her.

"Quinn…"

The blonde seemed to snap from the trance she had been stuck in at the soft sound of her girlfriend addressing her directly.

She pulled her hands from Rachel's and stood up briskly, before walking away from the table and out of the restaurant.

"Quinn, wait!" Rachel stood and went to run after her girlfriend before she felt her wrist being caught by Santana.

She turned around to see the Latina standing there, eyes filled with knowing. "Let her go."

"But, I need to go after her, Santana. What if she does something stupid? She didn't even speak to me…" She said defeated.

Santana pulled Rachel down to a seat and took her hand again. "Listen, Quinn is angry. She needs to be alone with those crazy thoughts right now. Let her be. She will talk to you when she is ready, understand? Just let her be, right now. She won't do anything stupid, trust me."

Brittany chose that moment to speak, "She's probably in her secret room."

Kurt looked at the blonde confusedly and then looked to her wife, "Secret room?"

Santana rolled her eyes, "Quinn apparently has a room in her house that no one is allowed into unless your name is Brittany or Quinn."

"Why aren't you allowed Satan?" Mercedes questioned.

Santana cracked a grin, "Because that room, if it even exists…only exists for the people that _Quinnie_ feels comfortable sharing her feelings with…all of them. It's easier for Quinn to share all of her feelings with Brittany because Brittany will take it lighter than I will. Despite the fact that Quinn is comfortable and adjusted to my personality, when it comes to certain things…I'm ill equipped."

Kurt laughed, "And so Brittany sees the secret room, because of that."

Santana pointed her fork at him, "Laugh all you want Dorothy, my Britts is an amazing listener and that is what Quinn needs sometimes."

Rachel sighed, "What are the chances of me getting into this secret room Brittany?"

The blonde sipped out of her straw, "Pretty high…Quinn spends the majority of the time in her secret room talking about you. So you should be like, the queen of the secret room since she has mentioned your name so much."

Rachel raised her eyebrows.

"She's been in love with you for forever Berry; of course she'll let you in the room."

The brunette let her heart flutter at the fact that Quinn loved and trusted her that much, but she couldn't help but wonder if getting into her girlfriend's mind would as easy as getting into her so-called secret room.

* * *

Rachel left the restaurant shortly after the conversation, driving straight to Quinn's house in a flurry of excitement and feelings, and apprehension.

She didn't know whether the girl was angry or disappointed, or anything. She couldn't even bring herself to speak to the brunette.

Rachel didn't know what was in store for her, but she was about to dive head first into it. Pulling in the driveway of Quinn's condo, she was out of her car at the door before she even realized it.

Standing still at the entrance of the home, Rachel raised her hand to knock only to hear loud music flowing from what seemed to be deep inside.

The door was cracked, and so instead of Rachel being her usual formal self, she pushed the door open and stepped into the familiar place.

The living room was as usual extremely tidy and in order, and Rachel shut the door, before letting the loud tones of the music lead her through the home in earnest curiosity.

The reverberations of a high pitched man singing his appreciation for a woman and her one night stand, resounded in Rachel's eardrums even louder as she approached the a room further down the hallway.

The door to this room was ajar as well, and despite her hesitation, Rachel entered.

The music was at the highest volume it seemed and Rachel glanced around the room at the setting. She allowed her eyes to take in the most original room in the entire house.

There were windows, large windows that lead a view into the field of grass outside of the home. There weren't any curtains, only sight. The light from the California sun shone through the glass and Rachel glanced up above her to the skylight that casted the same ray of light.

There were so many things that obscured her vision, she didn't even know if she had the ability to take in every single thing that was taking up space in the area.

There were four cameras in each corner of the large expanse, expensive ones. They were cameras that apparently had seen more than they gave themselves credit for judging by the framed black and white photos that took up every single crevice or space on the walls.

Canvas stood in rows and canvas paper filled with color and art of all kinds took up the floor space. Rachel stepped further into the room, the footsteps falling on deaf ears under the tones of music vibrating the space around them.

She finally allowed her eyes land on the blonde, who was wearing the same cut off shorts from their brunch but had replaced her red shirt with a large denim button down. She had rolled the sleeves to stop at her elbows, and was brandishing a paint brush in mid air as if it were a spear and the canvas was her target.

Rachel glance at the canvas, which held various colors. They all meshed together, creating a frenzy of imaginative artistic poetry.

She looked at the blonde who launched a spot of blue at the paper and Rachel noticed that she wasn't at all near the painting. She was simply throwing her paint and waiting to see what happened.

Rachel stood in awe of her lover as she grunted with each winding of her arm, she was so angry. The brunette had the answer to her earlier question.

She stepped closer to the woman watching her feel every inch of color that dressed the paper in true anger. It hurt to know that in some way, she had caused that anger.

Then again, Rachel felt herself grow confused.

She didn't honestly understand why she was being given the silent treatment. She had hoped that the girl could have offered her a semblance of what she was feeling.

She needed to know what her lover was feeling, she craved it. It was a wound that she had closed despite the phone calls she would receive every now and then, and now it was opened again due to her provoked confession.

She honestly was going to tell the blonde.

She was going to tell her when things cooled down in an intimate setting, somewhere that she could be completely honest and open with the woman.

She was not thinking of pushing that conversation to the middle of a breakfast diner in the middle of their reunion with their old high school friends, but it had happened and now she had to deal with the consequences.

She gained the courage to reach up and touch her lover on the shoulder. The girl whirled around at the foreign feeling of someone in the room with her and when she locked eyes with the brunette, she dropped her brush, watching it splatter across the little space of the hardwood floor that was clear.

She stalked over to the stereo and ripped the dial to the volume down just as the female sings about her boyfriend making his greatest mistake.

"What the hell are you doing in here Rachel?" Quinn snapped.

Rachel felt the hairs stand up on her arms at the tone of her girlfriend's voice, but she felt her feet move anyway towards the girl.

"Quinn, I'm sorry I came in here, I just wanted to check on you. You left so quickly, before I could get to you…" Rachel had come to face the girl with only mere inches between them. She led her fingers towards the skin of her cheek to caress lightly, but the blonde moved away from her.

"Don't touch me."

Rachel's eyes grew wide, "I'm just trying to talk to you, I just want to know how you feel, and I just want to understand what is going through your head right now just…let me in." She spoke softly, reaching for the arms the girl, but Quinn sidestepped her.

"Rachel I don't want to talk right now. I just want to be alone, please leave." She spoke eyes filled with an emotion that Rachel couldn't exactly decipher, but the fire that surfaced for the second that Rachel saw it led her to believe that there was a challenge within them.

"We were fine the night before all of this, and now you are cut off from me. I figured you'd be upset about Finn but I didn't intend on telling the entire table all of that…I wanted to be able to talk to you in private about it but I guess that didn't happen, please stop walking away from me." Rachel pleaded following the girl around in the circle she seemed to be going in to stay away from her girlfriend.

"I don't give a fuck about Finn, Rachel." Quinn spoke stopping to bend down and pick up some of the falling canvas paper on the ground. Her voice was shaky, and Rachel could see the skin of her girlfriend turning red with every second that passed.

That didn't stop the brunette from pushing, though.

"Obviously you do, Quinn," Rachel said folding her arms and watching the blonde laugh cynical laughter and shake her head, "You care about it, otherwise you wouldn't be avoiding me like the plague…I'm just trying to understand-"

"Understand this Rachel, I don't want to fucking talk about it." Quinn snapped trying to stay calm. She just couldn't understand why the girl wasn't taking the hint.

Couldn't she see her falling apart?

Rachel grew angry at that point, "No, Quinn! I don't understand that. I'm supposed to be your girlfriend. You're supposed to be open with me. I thought we got past this?" Rachel stepped forward grabbing the girl's arm, "please just…goddamn it, talk to me!"

Quinn snapped.

"How could you be so fucking stupid! How could you let him do that to you! I can't believe you, Rachel!"

The blonde's voice echoed off the walls and vibrated throughout Rachel's ears.

She was visibly shaking now, she had dropped the paper that had been taking up the space in her hands and snatched her arms from Rachel.

She stalked away from her going over to the open window, gripping the edge of the windowsill in an attempt to calm herself down.

"Quinn, I didn't let him do anything…I trusted Finn-"

"Yeah well that was your first dumbass mistake, I never trusted that asshole…but never did I ever think that he was that much of an idiot to bash your face in all over your apartment." Quinn spoke through gritted teeth.

Rachel looked at her lover incredulously. "Quinn, what is your fucking problem? You think I wanted to be beaten half to death for trying to be happy?"

"He almost killed you Rachel! How can you still trust him? How can you still answer your phone when he calls you? How can you ever forgive him?" Quinn screamed, stepping forward to grab her girlfriend.

"I still care about him, Quinn…I can't hate him for loving me, he just lost control, Quinn please calm down, please let's just talk about this-"

Quinn snatched her hands away from the woman. "I can't fucking calm down! I hate him for loving you! I always have, and now I hate him even more! I want him dead, Rachel…do you know how that makes me feel? Do you know how hard it is for me to resist getting on a plane back to Ohio and murdering him with my bare hands?"

Rachel watched her girlfriend's veins pulsate as she screamed at her, and she understood now what Santana meant by leaving her alone with her thoughts.

In this particular moment, Quinn's emotions were running haywire and she needed to vent them.

Rachel, however, was not going to give up.

"Baby, I understand-"

"You don't fucking understand anything! I can't get that image of you turning blue from him choking you out of my head, he is scum. And then you tell me that you are still friends with him? That you still associate with him? Fuck that!"

"Fuck Quinn, it might be easy for you to hold all of your fucking grudges against everyone that wronged you, but I am not that cold." Rachel seethed.

"Being the best friend of someone who tried to murder you doesn't sound better than that, Rachel!"

"Goddamn it, then what would you suggest? That I tell him to fuck off and die? I'm sorry but the Quinn Fabray way of jumping into angry tangents isn't exactly how I do things!"

Quinn backed her lover into a corner, "Everyone can't be fucking forgiven, Rachel. What if he fucking tries to do it again?"

"He won't Quinn, I know he won't."

"You don't know anything apparently; otherwise you would have prevented him from kicking your ass the first time-"

Her words were cut short from the sound of the smack that Rachel landed on her cheek.

Quinn heard it before she felt it.

A moment of shock passed between the two where Rachel stood stock still, stunned at her own display of violence towards the blonde.

Quinn felt the sting creep up her jawline slowly, and with hard eyes she stared at Rachel. Her flashing eyes flickering back and forth between the girl and her still poised hand.

Rachel waved it back to swing again, but Quinn caught it and slammed the girl into the wall behind them pressing her lips hotly against her mouth.

The brunette fought against the blonde's grasp, using her free hand to attempt to push the girl away. But Quinn was stronger than the singer and had grabbed onto her other wrist and raised both forcibly above the girl.

Quinn angrily worked her mouth over her lovers, lips and teeth clashing in an assault of the intimate senses. Quinn forced her tongue in the brunette's mouth, filling and dueling with her partner's.

Quinn didn't know what was happening to her, she had absolutely no control over her body. She didn't understand what had just happening. She just knew that she was angry and she needed a way to lose herself in it all. She needed a way to get rid all of the consuming feelings.

Biting her girlfriend's neck she seethed, "I'm going to make you understand Rachel. I'm going to fuck you into this wall until you understand how angry it makes me. How absolutely maddening it is to think about someone else touching you in any way…" Rachel moaned her response, her body betraying her angry mindset.

Quinn ripped her hands from Rachel's wrist and ripped her straps from her shoulders allowing the sound of the fabric ripping to fill her senses.

"Quinn, my dress…" Rachel sobbed, and Quinn had it down her legs in a matter of minutes leaving Rachel surprisingly in just heels, and if it was possible Quinn felt herself grow even more hot.

She dipped her head to take a breast in her mouth, biting the flesh and sucking on the brown nipples.

Rachel fisted her hand in the blonde curls, yanking them. She let her hands travel from the top of her head to her neck and she made to push her jean shirt off her shoulders, feeling the smooth muscle of her girlfriend's shoulders, and snapping her bra open.

She yanked the cups off her, with a ferocity that only Quinn could bring out of her.

Quinn sucked in a breath at the feeling of Rachel running her nails over the ripple of her back in between her shoulders.

"Fuck, Rach," She reached behind her and grabbed the hands and slammed them back above the girl's head.

"I'm fucking you, not the other way around, understand?"

"Now you want to help me understand things?" Rachel spat at her, and she understood what this was even more. It was Quinn being angry, vicious even.

Rachel brought her hand down to undue the button of Quinn's shorts, and before she knew it her bare ass was being gripped by the slender fingers and she was hoisted off of the ground.

She grabbed at her girlfriend's breast running a thumb over Quinn's rosy nipple roughly, catching the girl off guard long enough to attach her mouth to her ear.

Quinn cried out at the feeling of the bite that she landed to the tip of it.

She gripped the girls thighs and rammed her into the wall, causing Rachel to bite down harder at the contact of her back with the wall.

Rachel slid one hand down her girlfriend's bare stomach and dipped her fingers into her panties, feeling the moisture that had gathered.

"Let me fuck you, Quinn." Rachel purred playing with her girlfriend's opening, intrigued by the effect it was having on the girl.

But it was quite clear who was going to win this battle of control.

Quinn threw her head back and moaned, while Rachel wrapped her legs around the girl locking them in a constricted embrace.

"F-fuck Rach…"

Quinn braced one hand one the wall, and used the other to pull Rachel's roughly from her panties.

She struggled, gripping the hand tightly pushing it up beside her head, dipping down to bite a violent mark into Rachel's neck, and sucking on the spot.

Rachel cried out, feeling her legs tingle, and her body grow wetter with Quinn thrusting her pelvis harshly into her.

"I can feel you, your fucking juice is all over my stomach." Quinn growled, and Rachel moaned at her words.

Rachel strained against her lover's hold still attempting to fight the girl, but losing more every second. She realized she had another hand free and reached up to clutch Quinn's shoulder only to grab onto the girl's neck.

Quinn, called out feeling Rachel applying pressure to her throat, lightly but still pushing up in a forcing way that made her shiver with arousal.

Rachel moaned feeling Quinn grip her wrist even harder, her nipples perking up still at the movement of her girlfriend's hips.

She needed more, she needed more skin.

"Give me all of you Quinn…right now." She rasped breathlessly, and Quinn shook her head, using the hand that had previously been on the wall to reach for the one Rachel had around her throat.

Rachel managed to free her wrist and slap the other side of Quinn's face, pushing the girl even farther.

Quinn ripped her hand from her throat and roared, ramming her into the wall again. Rachel was sure that she was going to break the wall in.

"You bitch…trying to be Finn now?" She choked out and without any other interruptions she held Rachel's hands to her chest and pushed her shorts and panties down her legs freeing her throbbing center from its confinement.

She let go of Rachel's hands to reach down and detach her legs long enough to spread them on either side of her in midair, before slamming her center into the girls.

Rachel screamed out at the feeling of her throbbing clit rubbing against her girlfriend's, she let her head fall back against the wall.

"Oh, fuck Quinn!" The blonde held her thighs tightly, fucking her clit with her own, the pressure from the two body parts making her body roll with pleasure.

"Finn fuck you like this? Huh? You like his dick inside of you, or my pussy inside of you?" Quinn growled and Rachel grabbed the blonde's hair pulling the hair so hard Quinn was sure she was going to rip it from her scalp.

"Fuck you…I-I almost never…I fucking…fuck Quinn!" Rachel mewled, unable to argue the girl for the feeling of their body's moving so harshly throwing her speech completely off.

Quinn let her mind briefly wander over the thought that her girlfriend had let Finn be inside of her.

She leaned her mouth to her ear, "That really fucking pisses me off."

She dropped one of Rachel's legs to wrap around her waist before she rammed three fingers inside of the girl.

"Quinn!"

Quinn let her eyes close at the feeling of being inside of the girl. "God you feel so good baby, so tight. So perfect…"

Rachel moaned so loud it vibrated against the blonde's ears, she wrapped her arms around Quinn's neck and reveled in the feeling of the girl's fingers fucking her deeply.

Rachel reached down between them and played with her lovers clit, feeling the girl lose her rythym inside of her.

"Fuck Rachel…I-I…." She went to move her hand, but Rachel slapped her cheek a little lighter.

"Stop fighting me, back…fuck!" Rachel screamed feeling Quinn hit her spot harshly.

"Get your fucking hands off of me, I'm fucking you, Rachel. And I'm not going to stop until you understand how crazy you make me." Quinn growled adding a fourth finger inside of the girl feeling her stretch with the added intrusion.

"Fuck Quinn, I feel you everywhere! Oh my god…" Rachel felt her eyes roll back, it was as if Quinn was filling her completely, she couldn't even rub the girl's clit anymore because she was being fucked so good.

"I want you to feel me, forever, Rachel. I won't stop until I've gotten every memory of him out of you…fuck, do you understand?"

"Quinn-"

"Do you fucking understand me?" Quinn gasped ramming her fingers into her girlfriend with every word causing the girl to cry out over and over again.

"Yes Quinn, I understand…I understand baby." She moaned reaching behind to grip her ass as she worked her over.

Quinn threw her head back as Rachel needed the flesh of her ass, before smacking it hard.

"Harder baby, please!" Rachel moaned out her body growing more hot and starting to vibrate with the anticipation.

She leaned down to attach her mouth to the girl's neck sucking harshly and Quinn moaned fucking her lover with such an intense force that her vision started to blur. Rachel ran her hand back to the front of the girl, dipping two fingers into her heat despite her protests.

"Oh fuck Rachel!"

"Fuck Quinn, you've been wet for me this entire time…you're dripping all over my fingers." Rachel gasped as Quinn fucked her even harder.

And so they matched a rythym, meeting each other's thrusts and Rachel felt Quinn trying to make her understand how she felt. She was trying to fuck her feelings into the female.

"I can't stand that he hurt you…somebody so perfect, and it was my fault…because I couldn't get to you sooner. I was so caught up in myself trying to move on…I didn't even go after what mattered the most." Quinn gasped, and Rachel knew she was close.

"It isn't your fault Quinn…none of it is your fault…Jesus Christ, Quinn I'm so close!" Rachel sobbed, and she braced her head back against the wall adding a third finger into her lover.

They were both on edge, the string tying them together at the complete breaking point.

Quinn buried her head in Rachel's shoulder using her hips to push her fingers rougher into the girl's body, rolling her hips. Rachel felt her body constrict around Quinn's fingers. She used her thumb to flick Quinn's clit while thrusting her fingers knowing it would bring her with her.

Quinn felt her vision go icy white and she cried out biting down on Rachel's neck again causing the brunette to scream bloody murder as she climaxed.

Rachel felt her legs sieze up and shake around her girlfriend as went tumbling.

She was falling, and falling and she didn't think she'd ever stop.

She briefly felt them sink off of the wall to the ground, something wet dripping onto her skin. Opening her eyes, she felt her girlfriend…crying into her neck softly.

"I should have told you…I should have confessed my feelings, none of that would have happened…I'm so sorry." She whispered brokenly.

"It isn't your fault, Quinn…" Rachel said stroking her hair.

"I'm sorry…"

It was all that Rachel's ears seem to hear. Broken I love you's and whispered apologies coming from her girlfriend.

Rachel found herself leaking her own tears, listening to her lover cry her sorrow at something that although was in the past, affected her to a harsh extreme.

And she didn't understand all of it, but she understood enough to know that her girlfriend was a lot more damaged than she let on, and no one either noticed or cared enough to try and help her.

The walls had been wrecklessly torn down and Rachel was standing in the middle of the rubble that had been left.

This person with the tattoos and the secret room was someone who had been torn and ripped and molded into a force that was slowly starting to fade into something that once was.

Rachel had assumed that the woman she was in love with would be a challenge.

Quinn Fabray was more than a challenge.

She was something that needed to be fought for, something that needed to be earned and cherished as more than a lover, more than a girlfriend.

She needed to be someone's everything.

She was everything.

And it was in that moment that Rachel decided that she was going to be the one to do that for her.

She would spend the ends of the earth being there, and cherishing the woman, and earning her.

She was going to make sure that Quinn understood that she was everything.

**A/N: Not sure about that ending, but I stayed up all night trying to get this for you guys so we'll just go with it. I hope you guys really like it, cause it will make my tiredness at school today worth it. Lol.**

**Review!**

**-Mimi**


	12. You Can Bandage The Damage

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Wow, you guys were all sincerely passionate about this last chapter, I'm amazed!**

**Some of you are wondering why Quinn reacted so harshly, some of you wonder why Rachel was so calm and collective about Finn, and most of you are just honestly outraged from it all.**

**That was my intention, to make you all feel completely mind fucked.**

**Seriously.**

**Well, anyways this is the start of a Rachel and Quinn road to recovery. They are about to deal with some issues to further their relationship, and to recover Quinn from the things she has been trying to suppress. Also I wrote it as a gift for the exciting winter finale of Glee tonight. Is anyone more excited than I am? I don't think so. I hope Quinn stops this wedding. Anyways, enough of that, no Finchel allowed here. Lol. Happy Glee!**

**Shall we?**

**BTW: This chapter was named after a line in Demi Lovato's beautifully raw ballad, "Fix a Heart." Describes Quinn perfectly.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned it, do you even think there would be a semblance of a Finchel wedding or the couple itself? Hellllll no. **

Chapter 12

Rachel pressed her lips to her sleeping girlfriends, before tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and stepping back from her sleeping form.

She had carried the woman to her master bedroom after she had successfully sobbed herself into a deep coma of sorts. And now she was preparing to leave the home, and return to her own, taking with her the shocking understanding that the woman she had been in love with for so many years and was in love with now was holding and harboring truly intense feelings.

There were so many things that had gone unanswered. Rachel wasn't going to wake her lover from the slumber she had fallen into to answer them, though. And even if she did, it isn't like the answers that Rachel wanted were hidden in the mind of her ironically unsettled ingenue.

Those answers lay hidden in the minds and hearts of the people who surrounded the blonde girl. Rachel was purely enraged, underneath her concern. How could they allow her to let these problems seep deep within her spirit and harvest wholly? These are the people that called themselves her family, her friends.

After she left home, what did they think? That she was okay?

Rachel found her body hot with fury; maybe she understood now why Quinn was so angry at herself for not coming clean sooner. Rachel felt the same way for the opposite situation. If she had allowed herself to be open with Quinn, she could have helped prevent the feelings that her girlfriend had yet to deal with.

She was so angry.

She felt the white heat take her body hostage and she turned around and stalked from the room, before she'd be persuaded to stay and cuddle to her lover.

She wasn't going home, oh no.

She was going to Santana's.

* * *

Santana Lopez found herself being awakened from her late afternoon nap by a rough pounding on her front door.

"The fuck?" She questioned groggily, falling literally off of the couch cushions to stumble over to the front door and unlock it. She barely cracked it before the shorter brunette had stalked into her home.

"How could you let her get that fucking bad?" Rachel snapped jabbing her finger into Santana's chest harshly.

Santana furrowed her eyebrows angrily, backing up at the stabbing pain of the girl's fingers in her chest.

"Whoa, crazy short bitch, what is your problem?" She said, attempting to avoid the pain.

"You call yourself her best friend! All of you, and you let her fucking get this fucking fucked up, that's my fucking problem!" Rachel screeched still forcing the small finger towards the Latina.

"Berry, you've got one more time to thrust your little hobbit fingers at me, before I break those fuckers right off your fucking hand!" Santana grabbed the offensive body parts, seeming to wake up at the sheer amount anger that presented itself in the Jewish girl.

"Oh I should be the one kicking your ass, Santana!"

"What the fuck are you squawking about dobby? It would be nice if you told me because I don't know anything except I was taking a nap and now I'm standing here trying to figure out why you're fucking threatening me!" Santana said exasperatedly. Rachel whirled around, took a deep breath as if she was going to yell some more, but upon the opening of her mouth nothing happened.

She plopped down on her couch, before allowing sobs to wreck her entire body.

Santana stood there squinting at the crying girl in front of her."Fuck Berry, you went into that room, didn't you?"

Rachel just nodded allowing the tears to slide down her cheeks and Santana took a seat next to the girl with a sigh. She took her appearance in, one of Quinn's UCLA sweatshirts and a pair of loose jeans that were obviously so old that no one, let alone Quinn could get into them. She was holding what used to be her red dress in her hands.

"I just wanted to talk…I just wanted to know how she felt about Finn. I knew she would be angry…and I was even expecting some of the rage but…it's more than that Santana. She's got so many feelings inside of her that she hasn't even dealt with." Rachel said, raising her hand to wipe at the offensive droplets.

Santana raised a hand to Rachel's back, rubbing softly in comfort.

Santana sighed. "You weren't the only complicated thing in her life, Rachel."

Rachel looked up at the taller woman, "She was more angry at herself about Finn than anything…it's like as soon as she found out he abused me she took all the blame for it."

"That's because she honestly does regret not getting to you sooner. She was in love with you. She was angry because Finn got the one thing that she wanted, the one thing that she needed and he took it and hurt it to the point of no return…she feels like that's her fault for not grabbing the opportunity to have you sooner." Santana spoke knowingly.

"But she has me now. I don't understand. All that stuff with Finn happened in the past, I didn't mean for it to happen…but it's over now."

"It's not over now, Berry. She hates Finn, don't you get it? Pure unadulterated hatred for him, because he smacked you around…can you honestly look me in the eye and say she has no reason to hate him? I don't think so. Quinn is so far gone within herself that it's gonna take some serious shit to bring her out of it, Rachel. Finn beating you up and you still being friends with him adds on to that. She will now have that fear that he will come back to hurt you, and Quinn would die before she let anyone hurt you, hence why she feels the need to snap at the fact that she couldn't protect you." Santana huffed.

"She wasn't even in the same state…she wouldn't have known…"

"She would've if she would have stopped focusing on her parents for one second to go after the only thing she wanted in her life. Quinn now is feeling like her parents ruined another thing in her life, because if she wasn't so invested in getting far away from them she would have ended up with you. So now the shit going on inside of her just got a lot deeper." The Latina spoke knowingly to the girl next to her.

Rachel put a hand on her face, and sighed. "She needs to deal with the feelings regarding her parents."

"Her parents, Beth, and now you and Finnadequate. Rachel if you gathered all of this from her fucking you senseless, why are you over here talking to me?"

She leaned back onto the sofa wearily, "Because I'm so frustrated, I just want her to be okay. I thought when we got together that I had cracked down the walls, that I had gotten through and helped rid her of the sadness, I thought I was making her happy."

Santana shook her head, sensing where the conversation was leading. "You do make her happy, Berry. You made her happy when you were friends then and you do now…but despite all of that? There are just some things that Quinn feels like if she doesn't talk about them, she doesn't have to deal with them. And they sit inside of her manifesting and growing strong and unhealthy…until she explodes."

"Will she talk to me?"

"If she wants to I suppose, but I think you've learned your lesson about pushing." Santana said grinning raising her hand to finger the bite mark on the woman's neck.

"My question is, why didn't you or Brittany push? At least try to figure out what was happening and try to get her to address it? You had to have known she wasn't entirely okay."

Santana looked away from the short brunette. "I knew, Brittany of course takes everything with rainbows and sunshine, which is why Quinn talks to her, because she knows with Brittany that's all it will be. But I knew…I knew what had happened to Quinn with her parents. All of it. And I didn't push because I know what it feels like to be so fragile that at the slightest word you could fall apart. Everything I would have said to her to even remotely help would have backfired."

Santana moved her bangs out of her face, and Rachel wondered if it was her nervous habit. "I know you're mad because you wish I could've helped Quinn, Rachel. But none of us can help Quinn. Quinn has to help Quinn." Santana said, turning her brown eyes on the woman next to her and Rachel understood.

"Well, someone has to be there for her…I'm willing to be that person." Rachel spoke softly. Santana allowed a soft chuckle to empty her body.

"Good because you're the only person that is going to be able to get her to actually start helping herself." Santana scoffed.

"What makes you think that?" Rachel said confusedly.

"Cause you're Rachel Berry, can't you do the impossible or some bullshit?" Santana said standing up from the couch.

Rachel smiled brightly, "Yes I can."

The shorter brunette stood and embraced the Latina, "Santana?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you know all of that about Quinn? It's obvious how I figured this entire thing out, but you said Quinn doesn't talk to you about some things, or rather the serious things. How are you so sure of how she is feeling?"

Santana pulled back from the hug, "Because Quinn is my best friend, and I know her."

Rachel smiled, "I'm sorry I barged into your house and acted like a savage."

The former cheerleader slung an arm over the brunette's shoulder and led her into the kitchen of her home. "It's alright…but the next time, I'll have to fuck you up berry."

"Deal."

* * *

Quinn Fabray was not someone who was scared easily.

She took on the things that ultimately needed to be handled with an iron fist and she didn't complain about it. She wasn't someone who tip toed around things, and she met challenges headstrong and as stubborn as a boulder.

But when she got a the thick envelope in her mail that read what clearly was Shelby's address, she couldn't swallow down the nausea and cold feeling that was clearly…fear.

She had woken in her bed the next morning discovering that after Rachel had clearly left the day before after her subsequent breakdown, she had slept well into the night. She woke up in the middle of the night to call her lover and cry into the phone missing her presence and met with the promise that she would be there first thing in the morning.

Quinn woke up at exactly seven to be met at her front door with the envelope that held all her deepest anxieties and curiosities.

It was something that unsettled her completely and fully.

And she found herself still as a rock at her couch, looking at the offending material as if it had spoken to her in an unknown language and reached out and slapped her. She knew she needed to call Rachel or maybe even Santana, because this envelope was a piece of the pained affliction that settled throughout her body and surfaced in her mindset and bloodstream.

She had realized by waking up in the middle of last night and becoming wrecked in an overpowering might of sobs that she wasn't okay.

She was hurt, embarrassed, angry and filled with harboring feelings of hatred and resentment. She had desires to hurt and pain just as she was and she wanted them to be gone. She loved Rachel with all her heart and soul, yet…she still felt as if she was living in the past.

The past that held her Christian parents and their rules, the past that still held her mother and her neglect and her father and his anger that she had unwillingly inherited and she felt, and her baby that she was forced under circumstances to give away without explanation, and her guilt and self-hatred at the fact that she had missed out on so much and hurt so many people.

Purposely and unconsciously at the same time.

She regretted the selfishness she had displayed throughout her life in Ohio and leaving Ohio. And this envelope held the key that would unlock all of those feelings…the address that led back to the place that held the triggers to all of the conflicting feelings that completely took over her body the day before and obviously were yearning to be dealt with.

She felt her hands shake with the absolute terror and uneasiness. Tears rolled down her face uncontrollably and she sat the envelope on the coffee table with trepidation, feeling herself grow heavy with anxiety.

Suddenly, the door to her condo opened and she was met with the sight of her lover.

"Quinn, I got you some breakfast…I know you slept without dinner and I can only imagine what energy your body doesn't have – Quinn?" Rachel stopped amid her sentence and dropped her bag on the table by the door before rushing to her girlfriend's side at the sight of the tears rolling down her face and the shortage of breaths that were slowly making their way from the woman's chest.

"Quinn, baby, breathe…please. Calm down and just breathe evenly in and out honey."  
Rachel wrapped her arms around the blonde and felt the droplets hit faster paced on her shoulder and chest.

Quinn shook in her arms filled with a lightheadedness that Rachel could feel as if it was sickness passed onto her.

"I-I can't…Rach…I can't do it…" Quinn spoke, crying softly and she was heaving breaths that were putting a fear of worry in her girlfriend.

Rachel stroked the soft blonde tendrils that were a little haywire from where she had just woken up.

It was Quinn breaking down even more from the triggering of an envelope from the adoptive mother of her baby.

Rachel knew the severity of the situation, now.

She spotted the reason for her girlfriend's panic attack and picked it up. "Baby, everything's okay, I promise. It's just a letter from Shelby…I gave her your address. You want to open it?"

Quinn finally evened out her breathing and rose from her lover's embrace to shake her head no.

"I can't Rachel…I just, I can't."

"Quinn, baby. I'm right here with you…we can do this together, I know you've got a lot of unresolved issues when it comes to Shelby and when it comes to Beth, but you've got to start somewhere…your daughter wants to know you." Rachel spoke softly kissing the space behind Quinn's ear.

The blonde stared at the envelope truly at a loss. She almost seemed as if she yearned to open it, despite her eyes being red with shed tears and broken sorrow.

"She isn't my daughter because I gave her away, I left her. I let her down already. Why should I walk back into her life now? I'm scared Rachel…I'm scared she won't want to have anything to do with me…she shouldn't have anything to do with me, look at me." Quinn sobbed. And it pained Rachel to hear the raw and sincere hurt that laced itself within her lover.

She took in the disheveled appearance of her, roused hair, and oversized sweatshirt hanging off of her shoulders. Her cheeks were blotchy from crying and there were two long marks on each side from where she had hit her the night before.

Rachel reached up and put both hands on either side of her lover and pulled her troubled hazel eyes to her own. "Listen to me, Quinn. Beth knows you gave her to Shelby for acceptable reasons. She doesn't know about your parents, but she knows you didn't have a perfect life. She loves you Quinn, she asks about you constantly."

Quinn looked at Rachel, "I love her, Rachel. I have loved her from the moment I held her in my arms…and I just couldn't bring myself to subject her to the shithole that was my life…I knew I wasn't good enough for her, she deserved someone to take care of her."

Rachel pressed her lips softly to Quinn's, "You are good enough, and you are perfect. You just weren't ready, Quinn. You weren't ready to be a mother and you made the right decision."

Rachel let her forehead touch Quinn's softly, locking her dark orbs to the impossibly troubled hazel ones.

Quinn let a single tear drop from her closed eyelids, "And I am so sorry…I never thought Shelby would adopt her I'm sorry that I signed off…and I definitely wasn't thinking how it would affect you at all-"

"Quinn, Shelby and I have resolved our issues. I am perfectly comfortable with the situation with Beth. I love Beth, as if she was my little sister. I know Shelby loves Beth and despite the yearning I had for her to be in my life…I forgave her for how she treated me. She has apologized, and we began a new relationship. We have a different bond." Rachel tucked a stray curl behind her ear. She allowed her hand to rest on her thigh.

"I want you to open the letter Quinn…begin recovering. Begin having closure with the things in life that you have so much pain over. Beth is the first and easiest thing for you to deal with. Open the letter so that you can get to know your daughter, open the letter so that you can have the relationship that Shelby and I didn't begin to have. Start early, Quinn. Be there for your daughter. Shelby is her mom, yes. But you are her mother. And nothing and no one will ever change that."

Quinn stared into the deep and consciously understanding eyes of her girlfriend before turning forward to the envelope and keeping her gaze locked firmly on the thick papering.

It seemed as if the entire room zoned in on the item. She wanted to open it. She wanted to know her daughter, she wanted to get involved with her life…she had for a long time. But she was so afraid; she was so terrified at the prospect of opening the wound she had bandaged for a long time.

It had seemed that she had ran out of bandages, she had ran out of methods to cover and protect the pain. She had tucked the hurt deep within herself and this envelope held the key to it all over again.

She was absolutely and totally petrified.

But she needed to do it, for Rachel, for Beth and most importantly for herself.

She stretched her hand out, shaking and trembling towards the edge of the table where the envelope sat. Rachel reached out her hand and guided it over hers. She made sure that her fingers softly glided atop of hers and she watched both of their hands pick up the heavy packet, together.

Together.

It was the first step.

Quinn was shaking so bad, so uncontrollably that she was sure that if Rachel wasn't applying pressure to her hand, she would have dropped the wrapping to the table.

Rachel raised her body up to slide behind Quinn's on the couch, putting Quinn between her legs and bringing her free arm around to cover her other shaking arm.

She then raised their other joined hands to the envelope as well, and she helped the blonde slowly glide her fingers over the opening slit of the packet.

Quinn breathed in heavily when she felt the stitching come apart, "Rach…I-I…I don't think-"

"You're fine baby, I'm right here with you…you're halfway there."

Quinn closed her eyes, and Rachel pressed her lips to her temple, whispering more words of encouragement. She was sighing heavily with sick trepidation.

It was if the room had gained a deafening silence and with a surrounding soft pop the envelope came open. Quinn let out the breath she had been holding and Rachel smiled softly. She tilted the packet sideways a little and items spilled from it.

There were dozens and dozens of photos.

They spilled onto the glass of the table and Quinn spread the pictures throughout the surface watching the different variations of photos of the blonde headed girl from different ages.

It ranged from the girl at as little of six all the way to her current age of twelve.

Quinn's eyes darted to all the different photographs of her little girl and she felt the fresh wave of tears wreck her body as she watched her little girl mature from a baby with soft hazel eyes to a little girl with long blonde hair and fiery firm eyes a wide smile and defined cheekbones.

The tears fell freely with every glance at every photo, and Rachel held her every step of the way. Her lover held her as she cried out at the sight of all the birthdays and holidays she had missed out on getting to know a little girl that obviously was growing into what looked like a carbon copy of her mother. Finally she landed on a surprising picture of herself, sweat drenching her hair and her arms cradling a baby in her arms.

"W-where did she get this? Rachel? H-how?" She sobbed.

Rachel smiled running her fingertips over the smiling mother that was her girlfriend in the picture. "Your mother gave Shelby that picture."

Quinn felt more tears flood her face and she bit her lip, bringing the only photograph of her and her daughter to her chest. She held it there, and Rachel held her tightly, arms firmly wrapped around her middle as she wept.

Rachel laid her head on her lovers back allowing the soft droplets to drip on her lover's neck over the inscription of the daughter and although it absolutely pained her to see her so broken, so anguished at the sheer amount of life she had forced herself to stay away from…she knew that it was what her lover needed.

Quinn opened her blurry eyes to see what looked like a small note attached to what looked like a letter.

"R-Rachel, could you please…I think this is from…"

Rachel raised her head to rest on Quinn's shoulder, pulling the small message. It indeed was from her mom.

"Do you want me to read it?"

"I don't know…I-I guess so." Quinn said softly. Rachel pressed soft kisses to Quinn's shoulder and cleared her throat to read:

"_Quinn, this is a package of all of Beth's photos since she was born. I know you haven't really had time to get to know her, but she is truly dying to know you. I know it might be really hard for you to get in touch with that side of your life and I understand that you have had a lot of issues concerning your past, but I don't want you to make the same mistakes that I did when it came to Rachel. I regret everyday not taking the chance sooner to get to know her and have some sort of relationship with her. I just want you to be able to have what Rachel and I are working to have. Don't miss out on the opportunity. I hope I didn't upset you. Enjoy the photos, Shelby. P.S. if you don't take mine or Rachel's word for how interested in you, Beth is…take hers." _

Rachel finished slowly, her own surprise at Shelby's words of encouragement. Feelings of shock at the fact that the woman regretted the lack of relationship with the brunette, Rachel swallowed her own feelings down before saying softly, "Quinn…the other letter is from Beth."

Quinn looked at the folded letter now in Rachel's hand that was handwritten from her daughter and she felt herself grow hot with anxiety.

"She, um…are you sure?" She said looking at the inscription.

"Yes, Quinn…take it and read it…it's private between you and Beth…I don't want to intrude on something that should be special-" Rachel made to get up but Quinn stopped her.

"No…stay, please? I don't think I can read this without you here." She said her voice breaking slightly, and Rachel felt herself being pulled back to her spot behind her lover, arms back to their place on her waist, squeezing and holding and lips leaving lingering kisses of comfort and whispers of encouragement.

"Okay, whenever you're ready baby."

Quinn nodded softly, turning the neatly printed words over in her hand, before opening the letter.

"Um, _Dear Quinn, my name is Elizabeth Quinn Fabray and I am your daughter. When I was five my mom told me that I was adopted and that you and daddy were my real parents. Rachel told me all these cool stories about you guys and the glee club… She told me that you could sing and daddy could play the guitar. She told me daddy named me after a wonderfully written rock ballad and that my middle and last name is yours too. She tells me I look just like you and that I have an alto voice like you too. Rachel tells me that you love me a lot….So does my mommy. They told me you didn't want to give me away but you had to because you didn't have an easy life and you weren't ready to have me. I understand that. Mom, I want to know if you're ready now because I really need you in my life. I look at all the pictures of you that Rachel shows me and I want to talk to you, and hear about your life. I just have so many questions for you…"_

Quinn's tears were overpowering her and she had to halt her reading to wipe furiously at her eyes before continuing, "_My thirteenth birthday is next Saturday and I was wondering if you and Rachel could be there…Rachel comes every year, anyway and every year she brings me presents. I always get everything I ask for on my list except one thing, mom…you."_

Quinn breathed in feeling the sobs cause her breathing to become labored, _"I love you Mom…please come. Love, Beth." _

She dropped the letter to the floor before turning to her girlfriend and weeping agonizingly at the words her daughter had pleaded to her in her carefully written letter. She wept at the way her daughter addressed her as "mom", and she wept for the way her daughter had inherited forgiveness, she sobbed at the way her daughter yearned to know her. She cried out in pain because she loved her so much it hurt and she had only ever seen her once. She cried.

She cried.

Rachel listened to her girlfriend wail and fist her shirt in complete and total despair. She was heartbroken as she watched her break down and finally deal with what had obviously been settling within her for years: The beginnings of a lifetime of regret, pain, and longing.

It was the start of the repair despite the fact that it was like watching someone rip her heart open as her lover was finally forced to deal.

She was obligated now, for her own good and the good of those around her who truly cared about her to feel and handle the things she was feeling. Her daughter had written her a letter explaining how empty she was without her mother despite the fact that she was adopted. She had expressed at twelve years old how absolutely incomplete she was without her mother in her life. So much to the point that it was her ultimate birthday wish, every single year.

And now she had reached out, begging her to make the step that would change the dynamic of their relationship for the better for both of their sakes and she was living on a string of prayer that the woman who had given her birth would be ready to take that step and open her arms to the little girl.

It was painfully beautiful.

Rachel allowed her lover to cry, rocking her in her arms, stroking the blonde tendrils calmly. And she pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, knowing that Quinn now had to decide whether she wanted to go back to her daughter and step foot in the place that held every bit of pain that was burning in her chest.

She would be making the decision to go back where things had started that made her the closed off and unobtainable stubborn person that she had become to be.

Rachel was honestly, fearful for her lover and ultimately she held nervousness at what the answer to the situation would be. She wanted her girlfriend to be okay, she wanted to give Beth what she always wanted for her birthday, yet she didn't want to push any more than she had in the last couple of days.

However, her beautifully headstrong and powerfully fragile lover had already decided her fate. She surprised the both of them with the strong whisper that eased past her lips, behind the sobs and hidden beneath the anguish.

"I'm going."

**A/N: Alright I'm finished. I know it's a lot of angst. But it's required.**

**I love writing Quinn so much, she just has so much room to grow and be characterized, and her emotions on every single thing is solely what makes this story exciting. And then the relationship that her and Rachel have and how it affects her feelings and her growth is truly intriguing.**

**Anyways, enough of that. Lol. I hope you all enjoyed!**

**REVIEW!**


	13. Cherish The Thought

_Faithfully_

**A/N: First things first, that Winter Finale.**

**WHAT THE FUCK!**

**You mean to tell me we wait weeks for all the Faberry subtext and you give us an episode full of potential Quinn coming out as a homosexual moments and then leave us with her getting hit by a TRUCK?**

**This is not only ridiculous for the obvious Faberry that is there, it is ridiculous because Quinn is finally at a point in her life where she can be happy, she is going to Yale and on a track of self-love and done with all the high school drama, and then you hit her with a TRUCK?**

**I want to kick Ryan Murphy's ass. **

**However that is why god created fanfiction, to give us an opportunity to create different worlds where Rachel and Finn's relationship doesn't exist, and Quinn is perfectly healthy or perfectly damaged without a truck crushing her car.**

**So we will continue on with our developing story in which you guys are responding very well to. It makes me want to churn out all the chapters faster. I love how devoted you guys are to this story. **

**Reviews are genuinely my life, honestly. I find myself feeding off of you guys' response and developing all the plotlines so much faster. I love to hear all the comments, all the emotions that are stirring along with Rachel and Quinn's. This is going to be a "fun ride" in the words of Dianna Agron.**

**To clear things up, that last chapter took place on Sunday and the letter had gotten there Saturday but Quinn and Rachel went to breakfast and did not notice it. Beth wrote her letter on Thursday so the Saturday of her birthday is coming up in the week we are currently in.**

**Just making sure you guys aren't confused lol.**

**BTW: This chapter is named after a line in Madonna's song "Cherish", which was featured on Glee in a mash up with The Association's "Cherish". I can't stop listening to it solely because of Dianna being the featured soloist. So, ha. **

**Disclaimer: You actually think I'd allow Quinn to be hit by a moving object of any type if I owned this frustrating TV show? **

**Yeah fucking right.**

Chapter 13

It was Wednesday afternoon that Quinn realized what she had planned on doing.

She had allowed her girlfriend permission to purchase their plane tickets together for the trip to Ohio where Quinn would be reunited with her adopted daughter for the first time since she was born.

She couldn't believe that she had consciously made the decision to travel back to the place where all of the problems began.

She had once said the words that she would never go back. Ever.

Now she was preparing to embark on a flight that would force her into a place she wasn't sure she was ready for. The letter put her in a place of emotional turmoil. She couldn't believe her daughter was twelve, turning thirteen and more than that she couldn't believe that her daughter missed her that much.

She couldn't believe her daughter loved her so much even after she gave her away, she couldn't understand how she could want to meet her so badly. At twelve it seemed she understood more about her mother than her mother did, and to Quinn that was absolutely shocking.

But she then recognized the fact that Rachel Berry had been an influence in the child's life longer than Quinn had and that caused understanding of the maturity of the child, and the familiar personality within her words. The letter was properly written and precisely constructed as if the child had proof read and scored herself on it, over and over again.

It was if the little girl had turned it over and over again in her hands, just as her mother was doing this very instant in her own.

Quinn just couldn't stop reading it.

She couldn't stop letting her eyes linger on the word _Mom. _She couldn't believe that Shelby allowed her to address her as such. She didn't feel like her _Mom, _she felt like her mother. She felt like the woman who conceived and birthed her. It was what she referred to her own mother as. Just the birth giver, nothing more because what had she ever done for her that positively described her as a mother besides teach her how to act?

Nothing.

But that wasn't case with her and Beth. Beth looked at Quinn as her mom because she felt that Quinn had done the best thing for her a mother could do and that was, take care of her.

She gave her what Quinn's mother didn't give her, and what Shelby didn't give Rachel. She loved her so much that she recognized her mistakes and allowed the girl to live a healthy life with someone who was fully equipped to give her one.

It was absolutely the most selfless thing in the world.

Sure at first, Quinn was thinking of only herself. But once she gave life to the creature that had been inside of her for nine months, she only thought of a better life for the little girl. She only thought of how she would die rather than letting her daughter have to grow up around her parents and that way of living, and even more? She would rather die than for her daughter to have anything less than the best.

And back then, she was far from the best.

Shelby gave the little girl what Quinn wouldn't have been able to for a very long time, and by way of the emotional wreck she was, she was able to give the child the proper love that a child should have.

But Quinn loved Beth more than anything in the world, and there wasn't a day that went by that she didn't think about her baby girl. Who was now about to be what they deemed a, "tween", and that was shocking for Quinn. It was surprising that a spawn of her and Puck was running around with the personality traits of Rachel Berry. That should have been illegal on so many levels.

The smile that appeared on her features, at the thought of how her little girl acted and how her little girl had grown up, happy and healthy, yet knowing and wanting her in her life, fully made her understand that this was and would always be the right choice.

And, she had always wanted to give her the present that she had bought for her when she had turned one.

She just never got a chance.

So now, it was a chance that god had graciously given her in the form of Rachel, just as he had so many other things in her life and it made her extremely happy to understand that this was his way of showing her that everything was okay and more importantly that it was time to be healed.

Quinn had sort of lost her faith for a while.

She didn't go to church and after accepting the fact that god just didn't want her to be happy with all of the turmoil involving her family and because otherwise he would have put Rachel in her life a long time ago, she stopped fully believing in him.

It wasn't until a couple of months prior to her recent world wind of emotions involving the brunette that she decided to maybe put her faith in something that her parents ruined for her.

It was the constant morals and bible beating that made her the broken, emotional wreck she was. She couldn't bring herself to go to a church and sit and listen to a sermon from a preacher or a priest about how sinful everything she exemplified herself to be and identified herself with was.

It was something that she accepted she was emotionally stable enough to deal with.

She started to believe in him, God, again. She trusted him although sometimes she did think he played with her life like he was a puppeteer holding a string to her limbs.

And she did commit quite the sin cursing at him mere days ago when she found out about how much of a douche Finn had been to Rachel.

She didn't blame herself but she still hadn't wrapped her mind around how such an angel could have gone through something so painful.

She chalked it up to it being the angel within her that caused her to forgive him so fully and so delicately, although without lenience on seeing him. She still couldn't stop the wonderfully innocent mind of her girlfriend from seeing the good in him out of everyone, despite the fact that she wished nothing but death on the man.

Briefly, however, she wondered if her girlfriend's emotions were ever conflicted. She wondered if sometimes she wanted to hate Finn, but just couldn't be that type of person. Just as Quinn wanted to forgive and connect with her parents but just couldn't bring herself to do it. It honestly was a plausible fact and made a lot of sense.

Quinn rolled her eyes at her thought process feeling as if she had officially started spending way too much time with her girlfriend.

She should really be focusing on the road she was on, and the downtown L.A. traffic she was driving through to reach the parking lot of one of the tallest buildings in California, the Universal headquarters.

Pulling into the garage, parking her car, she smiled at how proud she was to be the girlfriend of the President of one of the most successful record companies in the country.

She always told her she would be great, even back in her animal sweater days.

It wasn't long before she found herself exiting the elevator and coming face to face with the receptionist that she had only deemed cute weeks ago.

She passed her desk however, and went straight for the double doors of the office of her lover.

Laura, who had been on the computer and talking into her headset noticed Quinn and stood abruptly, "Ms. Fabray you can't go in there…Ms. Berry is-"

"Hi Laura, bye Laura."

Quinn ignored the protests of the woman and entered her girlfriend's office anyway only to be met with the sight of the woman in question bent over a massage chair with a massage therapist's hands kneading the _bare _flesh of her back.

_Bare?_

Quinn stood quietly off to the corner, with an eye brow raised watching the stranger, who was a young red headed woman, smile and listen to her girlfriend talk about, well…her.

"She's a beautiful woman, Stephanie; you really should meet her sometime. She is absolutely exquisite in every imaginable way. I've loved her since high school."

"She's tattooed all over you say?" The massage therapist who seemed to be Stephanie spoke curiously glancing over and now spotting Quinn who smiled with her eyebrow still raised and flashed her uncovered sleeve of a tattooed arm.

"Yes, well, not all over. Just her arm and her neck…although I've never noticed anything else while we were making love." Rachel said, ever so thoughtful and blunt with her words.

Quinn quietly stepped behind the woman and motioned for her to leave and replaced her hands with her own.

She proceeded to moved her hands on the skin of Rachel's back while the diva went on about her. She didn't even hear the door quietly click as Stephanie left.

"She might have more; I guess…I'm not sure. I'm always in a state of confusion when she's…she's really great in bed, I never can focus. It's so addictive."

Quinn bit her lip, watching the muscles in her lover's tan back relax with every slow movement of her fingers.

"God, your hands are amazing Steph," Rachel spoke breathing heavily when Quinn moved her hands to the lower back of the brunette, intrigued by the way her skirt was riding up her legs at the position she was on chair.

Spread eagle.

Quinn swung her leg over the seat and moved behind her girlfriend, who raised her head at the feeling of a body behind her.

"Stephanie, this is new…are trying to get deeper?" Rachel spoke softly and Quinn had to hold her laughter at how dirty the girl sounded without even realizing it.

Quinn took that opportunity to press her lips to the skin slowly. She wasn't surprised when Rachel sat straight up.

"Stephanie! What are you-" Quinn cut her off when her head had turned and caught her angry lips in a hot kiss, silencing her protests and alerting her to the presence of the woman that was definitely not her massage therapist and most definitely was her girlfriend.

"Mmm, Quinn…baby, when did you get here?" She said pivoting her upper body to be able to get a better look at her blonde lover who had become seriously aroused at the sight of her lover's bare breasts bouncing lightly with her movement.

"In the midst of you describing how exquisite I was…what's up with the midafternoon massage and more importantly, why is your chest on display for..._Stephanie?" _She emphasized her point by reaching in front of her to squeeze her right breast, and Rachel gasped at the feeling.

"It f-feels better…that way. With-without any barriers…Jesus." She pushed herself back firmly against Quinn who caught her waist with her arm and flicked her thumb over her right nipple watching her girlfriend jerk at the action.

Quinn latched her lips to the neck of the woman who reached up to thread her fingers through Quinn's hair only to find that the blonde tresses were held up by a ponytail. Rachel growled.

She actually _growled._

"Take this down…I need to hold on to something." She breathed tugging on the tail of her hairstyle for emphasis. And Quinn smiled at the demanding tone of her lover.

"You take it down, baby." She whispered, her tongue darting out to taste the skin of her neck, Rachel keened with arousal and tugged the hair tie from its place, feeling Quinn pinch her nipple in time with her tongue now viciously assaulting her neck.

Quinn moved her hand from her waist down her stomach to her exposed thighs, and pushed the hem of her skirt farther up her legs. Delving her hand under what little of the material was covering the girl she ran her fingers over her center.

Her very damp center, which although was covered by panties, seemed to be throbbing with excitement.

"Was this because of me, or had it already been there with Stephanie's hands on your back?" Quinn said with a low chuckle that made Rachel shiver with anxiousness.

"Mmm, well I got wet when you kissed me, but I did think it was Stephanie at first so-fuck!" Rachel's smart remark was cut off with the feeling of Quinn rubbing her through her panties harshly.

"_Stephanie _will be fired if I ever catch her doing something like…_this_-," she emphasized her point by pushing her panties to the side and sliding a rough finger into her, "to you, ever."

Rachel let her head fall forward her hand now clutching at the front of the chair, as she pushed her ass back against her girlfriend, who moaned at the feeling of her ass against her clothed center.

"Mmm, I'm shocked you haven't already caught us…" Rachel said with a husky voice, teasing, knowing that it would rile Quinn up in the good way.

Quinn bit her lip, growing hot at her girlfriend's words and snatching her fingers from her center.

"Quinn what are you-" Rachel started, only to feel her leg be lifted from one side of the chair and her body now standing up beside the chair.

She has no idea how her girlfriend managed to get her stark naked and sit her now spread eagle facing her on the massage chair, but she doesn't care.

All she could process was the feeling of her front pressed tightly against her lovers as Quinn kissed her passionately, tongue diving into the folds of her mouth tying and toying with the brunette's.

Quinn had her hand latched tightly to the long locks and used her other hand to guide her woman back to a laying position, watching her legs spread wide on instinct.

"You'll get enough of teasing me, making me jealous Rachel. This pussy is obviously, only mine." Quinn spoke with a smirk that Rachel returned, throwing her head back as her girlfriend circled her swollen clit with fever.

"Look how _swollen, _and _wet…_it is, fuck Rachel, it's like your body reacts to my voice." Quinn spoke flicking her thumb over the girl's bud, watching her girlfriend's face scrunch up and her back arch at the feeling.

Quinn let her hand slide from the back of her neck to her chest over her breast all the way down to her hip as she worked her clit swiftly never entering her body.

"God Quinn…you feel so good, you know you're the only person that makes me wet, that makes me feel this good." Rachel moaned at the feelings that were sliding up and around her body and consuming her wholly with every touch that the girl was giving her.

Quinn felt the truth in the brunette's words as wetness covered her digits fluidly. Rachel moaned and lifted her toned leg to settle over Quinn's thigh but the blonde caught it, removing her fingers from the girl for a second time.

Rachel cried out at the interruption, "Quinn please doesn't go…I'm about to _die…_"

Quinn slid herself down the long bench of the chair laughing as her lover lifted her head almost in tears from the lack of friction she was receiving. Briefly Quinn smiled at how wanton her girlfriend was.

She was begging her to fuck her in her office in the middle of the afternoon after all.

God, she _loved _her life.

"Relax baby…I just want to taste you." Rachel whimpered at her words and with one last look at her girlfriend's grinning face watched her dive her head downwards and take her clit into her mouth with one move.

"Oh god, Quinn!" She called out, feeling her body go flat again as her head tilted back and her body arched off of the leather of the chair.

Quinn was sucking on her clit as if she was baby sucking on a bottle that was slowly running out of milk. But she couldn't get enough of Rachel's juices either way. And with every suck, more wetness flooded from her opening.

Rachel raised her hand to rest atop of her girlfriend's head squeezing the hair there, watching her lover's head dip between the apex of her thighs lapping her up with every motion.

"Fuck Quinn, I need you inside, _now." _She emphasized her point yanking on her lovers locks harshly, pulling her head up to look at her, watching the shining lips smirk at her. Rachel bit her lip and moaned feeling her legs lift up and over her lover's shoulders as the girl plunged her tongue deep within her girlfriend's folds.

Rachel cried at the feeling of the blonde's exceptionally long tongue divulging into her as if she was a ripe fruit.

And that is ironically how Quinn perceived the taste of her lover, like a rip sweet, peach that had been picked especially from a special bunch.

It was absolutely addictive.

She couldn't get enough, and so she flicked her tongue in circles humming her approval of the taste right onto her girlfriend's clit. "Mmm, Rachel you taste so fucking good."

Rachel leaned up on her elbows to watch her lover eat her as if she hadn't eaten for days, she cried out at the sight of the hazel eye's looking up at her while she worked her mouth over her most intimate part.

"Fuck, Quinn…your tongue feels so good, oh my god." She moaned bringing her hand to run her fingers soothingly through her girlfriend's hair watching her almost purr at the feeling, and then Rachel's thighs quivered as she felt the tip of Quinn's tongue touch her spot harshly and she hit a note that Quinn was sure she had heard her sing once a long time ago when they were in high school.

Quinn briefly realized it was the high F that she had practiced so hard to hit during _Defying Gravity._

She felt her hips thrusting against her mouth, most definitely humping her face as she rode Quinn's tongue as she continually hit that spot, much to Rachel's mercy. Rachel was moaning so loud that Quinn just knew Laura was probably blushing with embarrassment at the sounds that were emptying from the office.

It was the sounds of Rachel's hand reaching out to slam against her desk and knock her nameplate off, it clanging against the floor loudly, and her high, yet perfectly pitched moans of ecstasy reverberating off of the office walls.

Quinn moaned against her girlfriend, holding on to her thighs and then swiftly moving her hands to hold onto her hips as she grinded against Quinn's face. Quinn moved her hips in a circular motions hitting that trigger spot even harder and causing Rachel to flail her arms wildly and knock her phone from the desk as well.

"Jesus fucking Christ! Quinn…fuck Quinn, oh fuck!" She screamed, unable to keep her eyes open as her girlfriend ate her like she was going out of style. She leaned back and reached behind her to grip the front of the chair feeling her knuckles turn white at the feeling of Quinn gripping her hips roughly.

It was coming, and Quinn knew it. She knew Rachel's body like clockwork and she most definitely knew that it was all becoming too much for the singer, she reached up and blindly gripped at the breast she had fondled earlier, pinching her lover's perky nipple and watching her reach her hand down to cover Quinn's and then intertwine with hers.

"Mmm, Rachel, let go…" She spoke against her clit sucking and bringing her hands to insert two long fingers roughly inside the woman's heat and hit the spot she was previously thrusting her tongue against, out of pure shock that Quinn's fingers were now relentlessly fucking her Rachel felt the white pressure coil from deep within her stomach and slide quickly up her body through her bloodstream and take her over. And then Quinn nipped her clit with her teeth, thrust her fingers, and let go of Rachel's hand to pinch her nipple.

_Simultaneously._

Rachel's entire body came up off of the chair and cried out a mantra of expletives mixed in with, 'Quinn', over and over again.

It was absolutely stunning to watch her lover's body sore higher and higher and then come down swiftly before going extremely rigid with absolute and total system overload.

Quinn lapped up the fountain of wetness that was flooding her mouth and smiled into her lover, slowly swiveling her tongue inside of her now, bringing her down from the cloud of absolute pleasure she had settled on.

Rachel kept her eyes closed and brought her hands down to her lovers head, reaching blindly to bring her face up to hers.

Quinn kissed small kisses up her lover's body, the slick shininess from her girlfriend's juices still on her nose and around her mouth. Rachel leaned up weakly to kiss her lover, tasting herself on her mouth and moaning at the feeling.

Rachel then laughed, small kisses being pressed to her lips and she pulled back from Quinn watching the blonde stand and adjust her shorts.

Rachel sat straight up and smiled at the blonde, "Good afternoon to you, I guess we're not still on for lunch with Santana?"

Quinn licked her lips and laughed, "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Because you seem to be pretty well fed," Rachel said swinging her legs over the chair to stand on wobbly legs, and look around for her discarded clothes. Quinn reached down and picked up her panties which had been thrown over by the door and stuffed them sneakily into her pocket.

"That…was just an appetizer." Quinn said smugly reaching to put her hair back into a pony tail, but Rachel, who seemed to be dressed within an impeccable amount of time reached her and stopped her from pinning her hair up, taking her tie and securing it around her wrist.

"You sure do know how to get dressed fast." Quinn spoke looking down at the shorter brunette.

"Quick changes on Broadway teach you a lot," She said smugly, reaching her arm back when Quinn went for her ponytail holder.

"Hmm, you sure about that? Or is there just something you don't want to tell me?" Quinn spoke with an edge of laughter, smirking at the woman.

"Well, Stephanie and I had to be fast, you know…so nothing looked suspicious if anyone walked in."

"I'm sure," Quinn said pressing her lips to her girlfriend's kissing her softly, laying her hand on her neck working her lips hotly over her lover's.

"Too bad she's gonna get her massage chair back with your cum all over it from where I fucked you senseless." Quinn said with a husky tone, which made Rachel's body erupt in goosebumps.

"Too bad she won't since that chair is mine." She laughed poking her lover's nose and pulling away from her to grab her purse.

"You little minx, and I was all turned on thinking of her face when she saw it," Quinn smiled, pouting in a fake manner as if she was upset. Rachel pressed a quick kiss to her lips before stepping in front of her to exit the office. "You poor thing."

Quinn held the door for her open, "Give me my hair tie." Rachel looked at over her shoulder laughing, "No, I like the way your hair looks, plus I'm not giving you anything until you give me my panties."

Quinn grinned raising her hand to smack her girlfriend's ass which was bare under her skirt thanks to her thieving skills.

"No, I like the way your ass looks." She said as they entered the elevator, watching the doors shut.

"You are such a pervert." Rachel spoke rolling her eyes, and Quinn backed her into the elevator wall.

"Says the girl who let me fuck her on her own massage chair in her office." Quinn spoke softly grabbing her face for another kiss only after hearing her smile into the embrace wrapping her arms around her neck.

"Mmm, touché."

* * *

Quinn and Rachel held hands as they dodged the paparazzi swiftly trying to make an entrance into the restaurant that Santana had invited them to for lunch.

Her wife was tied up in her dancer business and Rachel would have to leave early to get back to a prior made appointment, but she agreed to meet with the Latina regardless.

They entered the building with help from some security that obviously had been called in expectation of this kind of arrival.

"Thank you, um…Bo?" Rachel said, curiously, snatching the sunglasses from her eyes and looking at the large burly African American male, that Quinn was hugging her thanks and Rachel couldn't help laughing at the sight of her girlfriend hugging this large man for protecting them.

"No problem, Ms. Berry, I'll just wait by the door for you girls to leave." He patted Quinn on the head causing her to snicker and flatten her now bushy hair.

"See you later Bo!" She said eagerly, and Rachel took her hand looking at her smiling face questioningly.

"I love that guy." Quinn said thoughtfully, and Rachel cleared her throat.

"Mind letting me know where _that _came from?" Rachel said laughing, shockingly. And Quinn glanced at her lover before she giggled wholeheartedly.

"What? Bo? Oh, he's one of the regulars that come in the shop. Santana thought we might get a little hassled today, or more importantly, you might get hassled. So we called him, sometimes he comes and stands guard when celebrities come to be tattooed." Quinn said, and Rachel grinned.

"He seems…scary."

"Only on the outside, he's honestly a big softie, like a brother to me." Quinn said pulling her sunglasses from her face upon seeing her best friend sipping a martini as if it was the most natural thing to do at one o'clock in the afternoon.

"'Sup bitches?" She said grinning and raising an eyebrow at the two women that took a seat in the high chairs sat the table.

"It's one in afternoon and you're already drinking like a fish? I'm not dragging you out of this, dumbass." Quinn said pointing her finger accusingly at the girl, and Rachel smiled.

"Santana while your offensive address to me bothers the intellectual side of me I will offer my less intelligent side to say, hello to you too, bitch." Rachel spoke, knowing how her long winded terms of speech used to aggravate the girl in high school.

"Just when I was starting to like you, Berry, you had to open your mouth and start talking like a fucking news reporter on energy drinks, alcoholic energy drinks, at that." Santana spoke sipping from her straw.

The waitress appeared, Stacy, and took their order, "What will you girls have to drink? Hopefully you're not future bum homeless alcoholics like this retard." The dark haired Hispanic woman spoke and there was something strangely familiar about the girl, to Rachel.

"Well, look who's here! Quinn Fabray, long time, no see!" The girl said poking the blonde with her pen and Quinn smiled, blushing. "Good to see you too, Stacy."

The woman laughed, "You always did go red anytime I spoke to you, and who is this lovely Señorita you've got sitting next to you?" The woman spoke happily curious and Quinn smiled.

"This is one of the seven dwarfs, talky, and she is Quinn's future wife." Santana said with a grin, but flinching when Quinn reached over to slap her arm.

"I'm Rachel Berry, please to meet you." Rachel spoke reaching her arms out to shake the Latina's hand and she smiled shaking Rachel's hand.

"I take it you are Quinn's main squeeze?" She said, and Rachel furrowed her eyebrows chuckling, "Sure, whatever that is."

"God, Stac…your ghetto talk is worse than your sister's." Quinn said shaking her head.

"Whoa you gots a problem with the way I talk, you takes it up with me, understand? Don't make me go all Lima Heights Adjacent on your ass." Santana said her accent coming out at full force and Quinn laughed at the woman.

"You both lived in the suburbs, your dad was a dentist."

"Wait-sisters?" Rachel said, and Quinn nodded. Stacy smiled at the shorter brunette, "Yeah Quinn's parents went to school with my parents, and I went to school with Quinn's sister-"

"The bitch." Santana spoke bitterly, and Rachel looked on confusedly. Quinn laughed, "Stacy and Frannie, went to school together just like San, and I went to school together."

"They hated each other," Santana said with a snicker and Rachel looked at Stacy for confirmation.

Stacy laughed, "Yes but that's another story for another day, the story of me and Francine."

"Jeez, Stac, you might as well sit and tell them of our history. Would it kill you to sit with your sister?" Santana said looking offensively at her sibling who rolled her eyes and ruffled her hair.

"Aww you miss me, Satan?"

Rachel laughed at the thought that even her older sister called her that.

"Come on, Stac, have a drink with us, please?" Quinn said pouting and the older Lopez sighed, before taking a seat.

"Ay Dios Mio, Trying to get me fired, you two bitches are."

"Shut up bitch, you own the place." Santana said with a laugh and Quinn and Rachel joined her while Stacy shoved her sister lightly.

"Anyways, Francine and I went to school together and absolutely hated each other every breathing minute of it."

"Sounds a little familiar." Rachel said thoughtfully remembering all the feuding Quinn and Santana did throughout their high school career.

"Oh I know what you are thinking, but what Santana and Quinn did was be frenemies, they were immature and from what I understood senior year, they got pretty close. Francine and I could not stand each other." Stacy said with an air of laughter.

Quinn laughed at the memories, "Frannie would get jealous of Stacy, they were both on cheerios together and Stacy got captain, and by association all of the guys she could ever want."

"Then, throw in the fact that her little sister thought I was way cooler than she was," Stacy said winking at Quinn who laughed and nodded.

"Shit, that's because Francine was a fucking prude, she was always "daddy's favorite", right Quinn?" Santana said quoting her friend.

"Anyways, Francine and I absolutely couldn't stand each other…and one day she was at the bottom of the pyramid and I was at the top so of course she decided it would be the perfect time, to drop me."

Rachel gasped, "No way!"

Santana nodded viciously, "I wanted to fuck that bitch up!"

"Hell, even I knew Frannie was wrong when I found out about it."

Rachel looked at the older Latina curiously watching her smiling face as she reminisced and laughed at her sister's outburst and Quinn's rebuttal.

"What happened?" The brunette asked curiously.

"I picked myself up off of the ground, grabbed her head and slammed her face into the bleachers."

Rachel's eyes widened, while Quinn and Santana laughed loudly. It seemed that Santana's ruthlessness was genetic.

"There was blood everywhere, I still remember the look on Sue's face when she heard the crack of Francine's nose on the metal." Stacy recalled in a daze of what looked like happiness, it caused Rachel to stutter out a laugh.

"Frannie came home with scratches and a bloody broken nose, and my dad just fucking lost it. He was so angry saying, "Good Christian girls don't fight those crazy Hispanics!" Quinn said imitating her father and Santana laughed taking a swig of her drink.

Stacy laughed, "Our father just bought me my first drink."

They all shared a laugh at that notion, and Rachel sighed. "Did you two ever become friends?"

"Of course Quinn's sister, ever the good "Christian", sent me an invitation to her wedding…I responded." She said smugly.

Rachel looked with mischievous eyes. "What did you say?"

"Congratulations, glad you found someone to appreciate the permanent knot in your nose from where I kicked your ass, have a nice life, bitch." Santana rattled off by memory sighing dramatically and wrapping her arm around her sister's shoulders.

"You're my hero, Stac."

"I know, San."

Quinn laughed, "She came into my room the month before the wedding and screamed at me to look at what 'my friend's sister' wrote her. She wouldn't say her name and after that anyone who even spoke the word Stacy, caused my sister to go into sporadic fits…she never got over the ass whooping she got." Quinn said, looking at Rachel.

Rachel shook her head, completely unaware of how deep her girlfriend's roots went with her best friend, and now apparently, her family.

"Yes…but enough of that. Quinn, I'll bring you guys some food and some soda's sound okay?" Stacy said standing from the table.

"Sounds good, oh, Rachel's a vegan."

"Noted." Stacy said saluting Rachel, who laughed at the gesture.

"Bring me another, martini?" Santana looked at her sibling hopefully. Stacy bent down to kiss her sister's forehead.

"Not a chance, lightweight."

"Bitch."

"Love you too!" Stacy spoke sauntering off into the back of the restaurant that Rachel now knew was hers.

"Santana, how did both you and your sister end up in California?" She said thoughtfully intrigued at how close the two sisters were in a family sense and in a literal physical sense now that she knew they lived in the same city.

"She actually didn't move out here until my last year of law school. She opened up her restaurant, and I waited here for a while. It's how I know so much about running a business, and it's what prompted me to take a business class." Santana said thoughtfully and smiled.

"It must be nice being near family." Rachel said smiling looking at the Latina. And Santana smiled looking back at her sister, who seemed to have the same fire as her younger sister as she yelled at whoever was cooking behind the scenes.

"Yeah, she was the first person I came out to. We were always really close." Santana said.

Rachel looked over to her girlfriend who looked a little sad at the notion of how close the two Hispanic sisters were and she realized how detached from her family she was. Rachel reached over and laid her hand on top of the girls.

Quinn looked up at her girlfriend and smiled, "I'm fine, baby."

"I love you, and we can make our own family, plus you'll have my family." Rachel smiled softly and Quinn leaned forward to kiss her girlfriend.

"Ugh, I just felt my martini come back up."

"Fuck you, if that drink comes back up, it's because you are an aspiring alcoholic." Quinn said as Stacy approached with food for the three of them.

"Rachel we actually had some sort of tofu salad, which I didn't even know of and I own the place, so I hope you enjoy." Stacy spoke, and Rachel smiled with laughter.

"Thank you, but I'm actually gonna have to take it to go, because I've only got fifteen minutes until this meeting and new artist managers can be so eager they always feel the need to show up fifteen minutes earlier than usual." Rachel said standing, and placing her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, watching the pout form on her face before she kissed her lips and Stacy went to get her a box.

"Do you have to go so soon?" Quinn said, and Rachel nodded sadly, "Yeah, baby I do. But I'll be at your place later, alright?"

Quinn smiled lightly kissing her girlfriend one last lingering time before stabbing her fork into whatever it was that the Latina had brought out for her to eat, "Alright, I'll see you then."

Stacy appeared with what was now Rachel's boxed food and smiled, "There you go."

Rachel smiled and thanked her before kissing her lover's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." Quinn said to her retreating form.

"I love you too!" Said Santana and Stacy in unison. And Rachel laughed greeting Bo at the door and taking his huge burly arm as he lead her out of the door. Quinn laughed at the sight of her girlfriend standing next to the large African American man as he lead her out of the restaurant.

"I can't believe you girls called Bo." Stacy said before shaking her head and walking off.

Santana's shoulders shook with laughter before she allowed herself a chance to look at her best friend in curiosity.

"You alright, Q?"

Quinn looked her companion, realizing that she was referring to the incident from the weekend, and then it suddenly dawned on her that Rachel had told her she went to talk to Santana about what was going on with Quinn.

"I'm a little fucked up, San." The blonde sighed. And Santana scoffed. "A little?"

"Okay, I'm more than a little fucked up, San. We're going to Ohio this weekend." Quinn added quietly.

Santana dropped her fork to the plate, "What do you mean you're going to Ohio?"

"Beth wrote me a letter inviting me to her thirteenth birthday party…she said it was the only thing she's ever wanted for her birthday." Quinn said twiddling her fingers and folding them on the table, locking her eyes on them as if they were truly interesting.

It was a sign of being uncomfortable, Santana noticed.

It's what she always did.

"Fuck, she's thirteen? Jesus Quinn, you're old." Santana said with a nervous laugh and Quinn laughed with her softly.

"Bitch, you're the same age." She said, before sighing. "She doesn't hate me Santana, she actually understands why I didn't keep her…she doesn't think I abandoned her at all. She wants to have me in her life, she even called me…mom." Quinn said whispering the last part and Santana smiled at the fact that her friend was taking a huge step in her life.

"So, you and Rachel are going to go this weekend?"

"Yeah, and I think I'm going to talk to my parents while I'm there."

Santana gaped at the blonde woman who looked at her with questioning hazel eyes, and she swore she saw the nervousness seeping from her system.

"What?" The Latina managed.

"I think it's time for me to go to them, and talk. A lot of the reasons why I'm a fucking mess is their fault. So…I need to forgive them and have closure and move on."

Santana looked on in disbelief, "Quinn, you think you're ready for that kind of thing? You think you're stable enough to go into that house and feel alright enough not to smash everything in that bitch?"

That was Santana's way of saying she was unsure about that decision.

"No…but I'm ready to be over this shit, you know?" Quinn said genuinely. And she was genuinely telling the truth about it. She was ready to close those wounds, so that she could move on healthily and happily with Rachel.

"Yeah, I know. But Quinn, maybe you should ask Rachel to go with you. You're crazy if you think you're gonna be able to sneak away without her hanging on to your car hood anyway. That little bitch is like a ninja." Santana spoke remembering how the woman entered her house faster than lightening.

"Don't call her a bitch, and I don't know if I even want to grace Rachel with their presence. I can handle their words about me, but I don't want anything said about her. Cause I really will cut a bitch over that. So maybe I'm not stable enough." Quinn spoke darkly.

Santana bit her lip. "Quinn, have you ever thought of seeing a shrink?"

Quinn looked at her confusedly. "What? I'm not crazy."

"I'm not saying you are, I'm saying that maybe it might make things easier…people who are fucked up see shrinks all the time Quinn. I think you need someone who's not attached to you to give you some direction and guidance on where you need to go from here." Santana said, her eyes concerned.

Quinn looked at her friend, surprisingly, "Since when did you become wise?"

"Since I had to keep your ass from falling down some hole of despair. Promise me that you will hear me out and at least consider it, or talk to Rachel about it." Santana added thoughtfully.

"Before or after Ohio?" Quinn said, taking a bite of her food.

"I think you're going to need it after Ohio, honestly. So how about you just talk to her during your next intense lovemaking session?" Santana offered, with a smirk.

"Go fuck yourself."

"Don't be upset at me, because you bitches came in here looking like you just fucked the shit out of each other." Santana said thoughtfully.

"Gee, I'm glad we aren't in public or anything Santana." Quinn spoke sarcastically and the Latina rolled her eyes dramatically before reaching down into her purse.

"Oh calm your thong, lady." She pulled out a card and slid it across the table to the blonde.

"Look, I know it's too soon, and I just mentioned it to you…but if you decide to see a shrink? This chick is pretty good. I mean, I saw her a lot when I first moved out of Lima, when I was dealing with my grandmother…and I think she can really help you too, Quinn." Santana said quietly looking with hard eyes at the blonde.

Quinn picked the card up and turned it over in her hands looking at the information before glancing back up at her friend.

"Promise me you'll think about it, Quinn." She said reaching to grab her hand, and Quinn closed her eyes recognizing the sensitive sweetness that was happening within this moment with her friend.

It was rare, when Santana genuinely offered her advice and wanted her best friend to better herself in any way, shape, or form. So it was twice as hard to resist her, when she was being like this because people rarely got to see this side of Santana.

Santana was reaching out to her, truly, for her to get better for the first time in a very long time.

"I'll think about it, San…I promise."

**A/N: Alright, I'm finished. I went over like seven thousand words when this chapter was only supposed to be like three thousand words. Lol. The graphic smut slipped out, so forgive me for that sudden surprise. The rest is legit plotlines. The next chapter will be the first of two parts of their Lima trip. I hope you guys enjoyed the interaction between Santana and Quinn, because I felt it was necessary.**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	14. Where I'm From

_Faithfully_

**A/N: I got an amazing reaction to the last chapter! I am so excited that you guys are enjoying the direction I am going with this story. I plan on splitting the Lima trip into two parts, this will be the first. And after the second part, we should have maybe five chapters left in this baby. **

**Sad, I know. **

**Now, this is the part where I am going to shamelessly advertise a story that I reluctantly started, for some insane reason. Lol. I was sitting in class last week, and I started picturing the aftermath of Quinn's car crash. And then I pulled out a notebook and started to write. What happened from the four pages of notebook paper I used in class?**

_**Stick Around For Just One More Drink.**_** It's really good. I think I've gotten some really nice reviews for it. I think everyone that is yearning for the angsty outcome of the crash that is most realistic and not some bullshit that Ryan Murphy and his evil friends concoct to distract us from all the Faberry sexual tension, will definitely enjoy the direction that I am trying to go in.**

**With that being said, I think you guys should definitely check it out, and review and let me know how you guys like it. Seriously, review. They are my life! Which is why I enjoy reading the feedback for this story, you are all so passionate about it. Thank you for that. Every author on this site honestly strives to get as many reviews as possible because it shows how much people appreciate and enjoy the story, and it makes us strive to write more frequently and to write better. I commend those of you who take the time to read and comment, and favorite and put on alert, it is greatly appreciated and noted. **

**Enough of my long ass author's note.**

**BTW: This chapter is named after a rap song from the 90's that I love called, "Where I'm From", by Digable Planets, you guys should definitely check it out!  
**

**Disclaimer: Yeah...no.  
**

Chapter 14

Everything was calm until they landed in Cleveland.

Quinn had been extremely peaceful and generally happy during the flight from L.A. She held Rachel's hand, and helped dodge paparazzi and laughed when Rachel videotaped the flight attendant demonstrating the safety cautions and procedures.

She complained about how she felt out of place flying first-class. But her protests were silenced when Rachel made her understand that she was worth everything, including first-class. She also made her understand that she was a bit of a snob when it came to flying and once she experienced first-class for the first time, she was never ever going back to coach.

Therefore, Quinn was forced into first-class, despite her humble attitude.

She had to admit that she enjoyed the constant glasses of champagne that were passed her way and the feeling of Rachel's hand on her thigh throughout the flight. She felt herself relax and the feelings of trepidation and fear were long buried deep within the confines of the clouds they were flying about.

Until they landed.

When they were informed of the touchdown at the airport, in Ohio, Quinn realized that she was in Ohio.

Again.

After years of never looking back, of dealing with the pain that one state had been the catalyst and bearer of, she was standing on the sidewalk of the airport with the sun shining down on her black sunglasses. She was standing there, waiting for a car to come to take them back to Lima.

This was something that was insanely surreal to her senses. She felt as if time had slowed around her and as she took in the different smells and sights of the cars and people bustling and shuffling around them in swivels of colors, the only thing she could think to herself was…

She fucking missed L.A. already.

She closed her eyes and breathed the air in through her nose, feeling her brain go a little fuzzy, and then she looked over at her lover who had joined her side, expensive luggage in tow.

"You alright, baby?"

Quinn offered a smile at the sound of the soft questioning voice, "Yeah, I just can't believe I'm back here."

Rachel grinned at her, before rising slightly to press a kiss to the tip of the taller girl's forehead. "I know, baby…are you nervous?"

Quinn took a heaving sigh before allowing a small smile to take up the expanse of her face. "A little, I just can't remember anything about this place that made me happy that didn't involve you…and even then what involved you made me unhappy because I had so many harbored feelings for you…so many." Quinn spoke taking her hand and lacing their fingers together. Rachel ran her thumb over the girl's hand.

"I know, baby. But it will get better…this trip is about you, seeing your daughter and finding happiness within yourself and this place. I just want you to be okay, that's why I am here. I'll always be right here with you." Rachel said and Quinn licked her lips before leaning down to capture the girl's plush lips with her own.

"I love you, so much, you have no idea." She muttered holding her face, caressing her cheek softly, and her girlfriend chuckled. "I think I have an idea."

But before Quinn could dwell anymore, a sleek black car pulled up to the front of the airport where they were waiting and a man, who could be identified as the driver, exited the car to take their bags and open the door for them.

"You just have to come back and rub it in everyone's face how big of a star you are, don't you?" Quinn said with a raised eyebrow, and Rachel feigned shock, as they stepped into the vehicle, resting on the sleek black leather of the car.

"I do not…okay maybe a little. But only for the look of complete and total guilt that crosses the faces of all the assholes that made my life a living hell while I lived here." Rachel said nonchalantly, watching the man shut the door.

Quinn kissed her forehead as they pulled off on their drive, "I'm sorry I was one of those assholes…I'll spend forever making it up to you, you know?"

Rachel laid her head to rest on the blonde's shoulder comfortably. "Baby…I forgave all of you, especially you a long time ago. I have no harsh feelings towards any of the people that threw slushies or called me names…we were in high school, and more importantly we were stupid."

Quinn lowered her eyes to watch their hands together, the colors of tan and paler toned skin mesh together and make something absolutely creative and interesting.

"You are truly a forgiving person, you know? I wish I could say the same for myself…but I just can't." Quinn said, breaking off her words.

Rachel bit her lip softly, "Quinn, you're angry, and it's lethal. So right now, your emotions aren't allowing you to forgive anyone for anything, and that is completely understandable. If I weren't so hard to upset I'd be the same way…"

"You aren't hard to upset, miss storm out of the room when someone insults Barbra Streisand?" Quinn teased.

"Because no one should _even dare _to insult the greatest entertainer of all time…_ever_!"

Quinn outright laughed at the serious and outraged tone her girlfriend's voice changed to, she couldn't even hold it in. She felt a light smack to her chest and she put her hand over her mouth.

"Quinn! It is not funny!"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry…"

They settled in silence for a moment before Quinn, decided that now was the perfect time to bring up the conversation that her and Santana had partaken in at the restaurant.

"Rach…if I started seeing a shrink, would you think I was crazy?" Quinn said after a deep, nervous breath.

Rachel sat up and turned to her blonde lover, "Are you seriously considering professional help?"

Quinn looked at the interested stare that her partner was giving her before she turned to the window of the car, staring out towards the passing buildings. "Santana, mentioned it to me. She even took the time out to give me a reference to a doctor she thinks could help me sort out all of the emotional bullshit I have going on in my fucked up life."

Rachel pursed her lips, "Quinn your life is not, fucked up. Your life _was _fucked up. And you haven't dealt with the emotional scars that it left on you…you're still somewhat living in the past."

Quinn watched the rays of sunlight beam down on the very road that they drove on and she ran her fingers through her hair, "You didn't answer my question."

"No, I think getting professional help is a wonderful idea…I was going to mention it, actually…I was just, scared." Rachel revealed slowly, grateful for the fact that Santana had taken the initiative to take care of her friend, because the brunette was confident that professional help was what Quinn needed.

"Scared?"

Her voice cut through the shorter girl's thoughts, and she nodded a little bit embarrassed.

"I didn't know how you would take it, Quinn. I didn't want you to think that I thought something was wrong with you…you know?"

"But something is wrong with me, Rachel." She said honestly, looking at the woman, and Rachel tilted her head at her.

"I am in need of serious help…I am not stupid to the fact that I need help…I realize how stubborn I am, and also how fucked up in the brain I am. I am not saying that you don't do enough, because shit…you save me every day, but I need someone else to guide me. Someone who doesn't know anything about me, someone who can tell me another path for my anger or whatever. Because I damn sure don't have any parental figures for that."

Rachel smiled at Quinn, wondering how long she had taken time to think over the fact that she needed help and how long it took her to accept the fact as well.

"So you want to do it?" the brunette said, questioningly.

"I'm thinking about it, I wanted to know what you thought first." Quinn said quietly, and Rachel beamed before resuming her position of laying her head on her shoulder.

"I think it is a wonderful idea, if you feel like you are ready for that sort of thing, Quinn."

Quinn raised their joined hands to her lips to kiss, before smiling. "If I decide to go, will you be there with me?"

"I'll be wherever you are Quinn, forever."

* * *

Pulling up to Rachel's house made Quinn realize something that she hadn't even let her mind consider when she was approached with the idea of visiting Ohio.

She completely forgot they would be staying with Rachel's parents.

And it wasn't the lack of privacy she was worried about, or the idea that they would be in Rachel's childhood home opposed to somewhere more glamorous, it was the fact that this would technically be the first time she would "meet" her girlfriend's parents.

She had been around them when they were in high school during their senior year, she had experienced them, and grown very fond of them throughout her close friendship with their daughter, but she had forgotten that now things were different.

Now she was _dating_ their daughter, and even more importantly if they saw all the paparazzi pictures floating across the web of them leaving each others houses every other morning, they would know that she was having sex with their daughter daily.

To say in the least, it scared the living shit of the blonde.

You would think her fears of anything would cease since she was, in fact, a grown woman. And a grown woman shouldn't fear two men, who otherwise loved her before she had begun defiling their daughter.

But it was just that, when it came to them being Rachel's fathers, and her being their daughter she felt like she was violating her. She felt like she was intruding on her innocence, although the brunette lost her virginity their senior year…she still felt wrong.

And that made her nervous, it made her wonder if they were going to try and beat the fuck out of her with a bat and then hide her body in the back yard of their home to use as an example of future women who wanted a chance with the girl.

Either way, when the black car pulled up to the Berry residence and her girlfriend shook from the small nap she had been taking on the lap of the blonde, she felt like she was going to throw up a little bit, and the nervousness that she had since quelled at the airport returned.

"Mmm, we're here I'm assuming." Rachel said sitting up, scratching her head, still halfway asleep, and Quinn couldn't help but smile at the absolutely adorable way her girlfriend had woken from her slumber.

"Yeah," she spoke and although there was a smile in her voice, she'd be stupid to think that her girlfriend wouldn't pick up on the fringe of trepidation hiding underneath the tones of it.

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows, her awareness slowly returning to her. "What's wrong?"

"I - nothing." Quinn responded, failing miserably at hiding her anxiety at entering the home and Rachel crossed her arms looking at the woman with disbelief.

"You're seriously going to try to act like I can't tell something is up?" Rachel said with a slight laugh.

"Rachel, your fathers are in there." Quinn deadpanned as if she should have telepathic powers and understand where she was coming from.

Rachel looked at her blankly, "Obviously, since this is their home…I would like to assume that they are indeed inhabiting the place, otherwise they would be wasting their time and money."

Quinn shoved the girl slightly, "Shut up, they are in there. What if they hate me? What if they try to kill me because I didn't ask them permission to date you? What if they get pissed at us for not telling them first and tell you you're not allowed to be with me?"

Rachel scoffed at her girlfriend's unnecessary worried behavior. "Oh, please. Quinn they loved you before, and they loved you now. They were overjoyed to find out we were together…you have nothing to be worried about."

The brunette made to get out of the car, but Quinn grabbed her wrist, actual distress evident behind her hazel orbs.

"Rachel…we've had sex, they know. They won't want me to be with you after that, I fucked their daughter…I-I took your innocence." She rambled, and Rachel out right laughed before ducking to exit the vehicle and Quinn hurried out of her side to follow her girlfriend.

"Quinn, you're being ridiculous, I am a grown woman…and people were defiling me before I found you again, I think they have had time to accept that." She said, looking over the hood of the car at the blonde, who raced to her side and snatched her up by the waist, twirling her body to face her.

"Just how many people were defiling you, before me?" Quinn said, huskily. Her jealousy peeked, disguised as desire.

Rachel bit her lip, resting her hands on her lover's bare and tattooed arms, "Mmm, a few. Finn of course, and then I had a couple one night stands with a few women before you." She leaned her forehead against the girl's.

"It will be me from now on, though. I am the only one allowed to defile you." Quinn spoke lowly, leaning down to kiss her girlfriend soundly, feeling her arm wrap around her neck as she pulled her closer by her waist, moaning softly into their embracing of the mouth.

"Ahem."

A slight cough could be heard and the two women broke apart, realizing that the driver had been standing holding their luggage. They both blushed at the intruder before turning to shut Rachel's door which they had been standing in.

"Rachel!"

As if on cue the voice of Hiram Berry echoed in the air and Quinn saw the man run from the steps of his home to meet his also running daughter in the middle.

"Daddy!"

Quinn, despite her nervousness felt herself lean up against the car watching the woman reunite with her fathers as if she was a little girl.

It was something that she knew she would never have. She knew that she would never get the chance to have that kind of relationship with her parents. They didn't even love her enough to come to her college graduation let alone write her a letter telling her we're proud of you. They wrote the final tuition check and gave her a starting balance of money to live on until she got on her feet and that was the last she heard from her so called "family".

This, however, was pure love.

Leroy exited the home a couple seconds later a lot more subdued than his husband and daughter who both seemed to be tearing up at the reunion they were sharing. And Quinn smiled at the way her girlfriend looked, animatedly talking to her father as if she was a little girl again. It warmed her heart considerably.

She felt that the right moment to walk slowly up behind the brunette, her fingers fiddling nervously behind her back as she watched them wipe each others happy tears away before Hiram's eyes found hers excitedly.

"Quinn Fabray!" He then surprised the blonde girl by reaching for her and pulling her into a tight hug that obviously reminded her of his daughter.

She couldn't stop the automatic terseness that took her over upon the first initial shock of the embrace, and then she relaxed into the hold and smiled, patting him on the back.

"Hi, Mr. Berry…it's good to see you." She said softly, and the man raised back, releasing his hold on her to survey her personality.

"You know to call me Hiram, and oh my look at you. You look absolutely beautiful…and I love the way you have grown into yourself…and the beautiful artwork on your arm, goodness me you have got to tell me all about that wonderful talent that you have acquired and how you turned it into such a lucrative profession!"

His excessive word use reminded her briefly of Kurt and then she realized where his daughter acquired it from. "Hiram, let her get into the house before you bombard her with your questions." Leroy's voice called, from the porch as he leaned against the banister with an amused look at Quinn's overwhelmed facial expression.

Rachel looked over at her girlfriend, taking her hand in her own, smiling.

"And you, young lady…no love for your father?" Leroy spoke and the brunette beamed letting go of her lover's hand briefly before striding to her father and greeting him with an equally tight embrace like she had given her other father.

"Hi, Dad."

Ah, that was the difference.

Leroy pulled her apart to look at her. "I missed you pumpkin. You have been keeping your skin very clean…you're practically glowing."

"I personally don't think that is because of her skin care, Leroy." Hiram said, with his hand resting on his chin and his eyes glancing to Quinn's in a mischievous, knowing way. He bumped his shoulder to hers and she smiled, scratching the back of her neck nervously.

Leroy, pulled his daughter to the side and smiled at Quinn. "I don't think you have formally introduced us to your, girlfriend Rachel."

"Shame on you, Rachel Caroline!" Hiram said walking to stand next to his husband. And Rachel rolled her eyes before stepping to Quinn's side once more to wrap her arm around her waist.

"Dad, Daddy, this is Lucy Quinn Fabray, my girlfriend." Rachel said, pressing a kiss to her cheek and Quinn was filled with nervousness at the title _girlfriend_, once more. Nevertheless, she put on her most honest smile and reached her arm out to shake that of her girlfriend's father's hand.

"Hi, Mr. Berry-"

"Oh, Quinn breathe…we're not going to bite. We know you, and you know us. I'm Leroy and that is Hiram, there will be no Mr. Berry business, now come in the house and tell us about how you and our daughter found yourselves dating each other." He said, pulling her to an embrace and she visibly breathed a sigh a relief at their comfort of her relationship with their daughter.

* * *

She found herself sitting at the table in their kitchen hours later during dinner, as they both went on about how they had missed her after graduation.

"Quinn, we are actually very glad to see that you are okay…we wondered where you ran off to after graduation, and Rachel didn't have a clue." Leroy said honestly, and Quinn smiled shyly.

"I uh, kind of took off…I apologize for not at least coming by to say goodbye to you."

"Dad, Quinn was really concerned about getting out of here…as we all were." Rachel said placing a soft hand on the girl's thigh and Quinn smiled at her.

"Well, I am happy that you both found each other." Leroy said with a smile.

"Oh my, you should have seen our faces when we saw the pictures of you two! At first I was pissed, that my little Rachel did not call us to tell us that she had embarked on a new relationship-"

"He hates hearing about her from the media." Leroy cut in.

"Yes, I do. But then I saw who it was and I just couldn't contain my happiness, although I should have been told first." Hiram said indignantly, and Leroy rolled his eyes.

"He walked around here squealing for hours about how he had always known that you two would find each other again, and how poetically romantic it was." Leroy said sarcastically and Quinn smiled.

"It is poetically romantic, like a fairytale at the most. Excuse my husband he has absolutely no taste in romance, I however am a hopeless romantic." Hiram spoke happily, cutting his eyes at his husband who pressed a kiss to his cheek, before laughing.

"I'm sorry, honey I didn't mean to offend you." He said chuckling and Quinn couldn't help the laugh at their relationship and she briefly felt jealous at how well they worked as a family, and how well the three people she was sharing dinner with worked as a family.

"I am glad that Rachel found me," She said looking at the brunette who grinned.

"It was a chase at first. But eventually she couldn't resist my charm." Rachel smiled brightly, stating cockily.

"You mean the persistence, I couldn't resist how you started practically stalking me." Quinn countered and the brunette gasped at her girlfriend. The men laughed at the accuracy of the statement, knowing their daughter and her personality.

"I beg to differ! I am not a stalker, nor have I ever tried to stalk you!" She said, and Quinn kissed her forehead.

"I was joking baby."

Hiram sighed and smiled watching the two and he looked at Leroy who smiled back at him and it was all nice and relaxing until...

"Quinn, what are your intentions with Rachel?"

Quinn stopped in her tracks, the nervousness from earlier returning full force.

"Dad!" Rachel said looking pointedly at her father who looked back challengingly. "What? It's a completely sensible question."

"It is not!"

"Stop frowning so much, pumpkin, you'll get worry lines."

"Um, well…I," Quinn started, completely caught off guard by the question and she bit her lip, looking to the brunette, who looked as if literal steam was about to pour from her ears.

"Dad, you're freaking Quinn out, Daddy help me!" She said looking to Hiram who rolled his eyes, resting his chin on his folded hands smiling.

"Stop, being so dramatic, Rachel. It's a perfectly safe question."

And then, Quinn watched as Rachel did something she hadn't seen her do since their high school days.

She stood from the table, stomped her foot, and stormed from the kitchen perfectly as if she had flipped a switch straight from her high school persona. The two men chuckled as they heard her stomp up the stairs, and Quinn placed her napkin, on her lap, smoothing it nervously before looking at the two men.

"It's nothing to be nervous about honey, we're genuinely asking you how you feel about Rachel." Leroy spoke.

Quinn looked at sincere eyes that looked quite similar to her girlfriend's before staring at the two men, answering honestly.

"I'm so in love with her, it's ridiculous."

The two men, raised their eyebrows simultaneously at the blunt response.

"I…I've had a lot of really messed up things in my life…and I have found comfort in the love for your daughter for years. I have loved her for years. And I thought there was no chance in hell I'd ever get to be with her, which is a huge reason that I left so soon. I even got a tattoo done permanently to prove it. That's how much I feel for her…and when she came to California with the same intention of feelings for me, I couldn't have been happier. I haven't been happier than I have these past weeks with her, please believe me."

She closed her eyes, before opening them again, and saying, "I want to marry her, and have kids with her…I want to be with her forever, if that's alright with you. I promise I will treat her right, I know you have reason to believe I won't because I have fu-messed up in the past…but it will be different. I will be different."

She took a deep breath and folded her hands together, tense hazel pupils searching the men's for some sort of confirmation, or anything.

Leroy reached his hand out to place over hers. "Quinn…we have known you've been in love with Rachel since you stepped into our house for the first time. We were just wondering when you two would grow up and realize it."

Quinn looked at him, "You knew?"

"Oh, sweetheart, we knew how troubled you were…and we knew that someday when all of that was gone and out of the way you would sweep her off of her feet, we knew." Hiram said, smiling at the woman kindly.

Quinn looked at the two sincere men and laughed softly to herself. "Guess I didn't do a good job of hiding it, did I?" She said, and they laughed.

"No, but you definitely had our blessing regardless and you do now." Leroy spoke standing and Quinn stood as well, to be engulfed in another hug with the man, and his husband placed his hand over his mouth.

"Oh my, this is absolutely adorable, I am going to cry…let me get the camera!"

"Oh my god, Hiram…seriously?" Leroy said watching his husband run from the room excitedly, in all seriousness. Quinn laughed. The man looked at her and smiled.

"I think you have time to escape before he returns, and I think you may want to go check on the diva." Quinn glanced at the doorway her girlfriend had stormed from and smiled, "You think she's really mad?"

"Not now that she's been eavesdropping on the front step the entire time."

"Damn it!" A voice came from the hallway, and Quinn laughed shaking her head. "It never works, baby girl." Leroy said knowingly, tapping his head and winking at Quinn. Quinn took that time to walk towards her girlfriend who was indeed sitting on the front step of the staircase. She smiled at the woman who looked up with seemingly innocent eyes, before moving to sit next to her.

"Sneaky little thing, aren't you?" Quinn said, placing her hand on her thigh and Rachel looked down defeated.

"Well, I couldn't return after a perfectly executed storm out…that would have been absolutely ridiculous." Rachel said as if her girlfriend should have known.

"I apologize, I did not know of that information."

Rachel rolled her eyes laughing lightly, grinning at her girlfriend.

"Did you…did you mean all of that? What you said to my fathers?" Quinn looked at the expression that took over her lover's features. And she reached up with both of her hands to grip her face, before pressing her lips to the brunette's soundly.

"I did, and I will always mean it. I love you, Rachel Caroline Berry…and someday I'm going to make you my wife. I want to be with you forever." The blonde said softly against her lips as they stayed in their embrace.

Rachel morphed her lips into the blonde's more intensely than before at the words and raised her hand to cover hers over her cheek, smiling softly into the kiss. "I love you more than you can even concede, Quinn."

Quinn kissed her one last time, softly, before hearing a click. And they looked up from their embrace to see Hiram with a camera.

"Daddy!"

"I couldn't resist, you two are just so adorable!" He said in a squeal with his hand over his mouth and Quinn laughed, kissing her girlfriend's forehead. "Hiram, come on and leave the kids alone, goodnight girls." Leroy called, pulling his husband along and the two girls waved goodnight to the men, before standing themselves.

"I guess we need to get some sleep, then." Rachel said lacing their fingers together as they ascended the stairs.

"Yeah, big day tomorrow." Quinn said rubbing her hand on her thigh. She had been distracted from the anxiety she had about seeing her daughter for the first time the next day, but she was excited at the same time.

Rachel pulled her to her body at the top of the stairs, "Everything is going to be fine, Quinn."

Quinn smiled at the brunette. "I know, you will be with me?"

"Every step of the way."

**A/N: I know it's sort of a filler chapter, but I just wanted to give you guys something because the next chapter is going to be loaded with a lot of things. It's going to be an extremely long chapter, next time. So get ready, peeps!**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	15. Beth, I Hear You Calling

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Alright so I am back, people! **

**This chapter was supposed to be super long, but I ended up cutting it, off. lol. I hope you guys like it, it was a really emotional thing to write so I was happy to tackle and finish it!  
**

**BTW:This chapter is named after the kiss song "Beth."  
**

**Disclaimer: Ha, yeah right!  
**

Chapter 15

It was not shocking to Rachel that Quinn did not offer a word on their car ride to Beth's party.

It did not stun her to any proportion that the blonde was watching out of the passenger window with eyes of blankness and surveying the once familiar town.

It just unnerved her.

Rachel was growing concerned, wondering if maybe it wasn't such a good idea for them to do this, she was backtracking and wondering if maybe this was too big of a first step for the woman that she loved so much.

It was absolutely maddening, she felt shaking and queasy as she drove and it had nothing with her paranoia of car crashes.

She continued to watch the road and interchange her gazes from the concrete to the female in the front seat, watching the long fingers trail over the spot on her neck where a necklace would normally take refuge.

It was a completely quiet car ride, and it was getting to the brunette.

There wasn't much time until they reached Shelby's house and she wondered if Quinn would freak out when they pulled up, she wondered if she would have to restrain her…or simply disappoint her daughter and shove the blonde back into the vehicle so that they could make a speedy getaway.

She was contemplating and sketching several ideas in her head.

But she just couldn't wrap her mind around any of them, because she knew how much the little girl wanted to meet her biological mother, she knew how much the blonde needed to see and connect with her daughter and how difficult it would be for her to gain closure with the issues involving the little girl, so she hoped that the chance for her to connect with her would be today.

But she couldn't say she wouldn't be surprised if the woman could not go through with it.

The Fabray pride would definitely take over on instinct, but she still recognized the scared and cowardice Quinn Fabray from high school. The girl had many traits of bravery and may qualities of a strong and powerful woman, until it came to making decisions that would benefit her true happiness and not the approval of others.

It had dimmed down over the years, but you could still find the quirks here and there.

This was one of those times.

She watched her eyes shade different colors of fear and concern and realized that the woman was going through so much that it was causing her to have an absolute moment of terror.

Rachel then took the initiative to pull over on the side of the road, and when Quinn looked at her with questioning eyes, she sighed.

"Quinn, what's wrong?"

The blonde's eyes continued to furrow in perplexity, and the hazel pupils darted back and forth between the brown orbs that were searching her for a moment of clarity.

"Rachel? There isn't…"

"Quinn, if you feel that you need to lie to me to make yourself appear stronger, you are more than welcome to. But I am informing you that we will sit here in this very spot until I get you to be completely truthful with me."

It was almost surreal how well the Jewish woman knew her.

Quinn turned to the window to glance out at the cars flying past them, and she wondered if her nerves were even worth the trouble.

She felt a flurry of things.

She felt scared, and she felt incompetent. She felt that this was a mistake; she felt that she was stepping into a field of something that she wasn't sure she was ready for and it was starting to get to her.

It was ripping her apart to think about the little girl that had put all her faith in the possibility of seeing this tattooed and broken version of her birth mom. She was still trying to make herself understand that her daughter wanted to know her, and she was having some serious trouble accepting that fact.

She still felt that she wasn't worthy of the girl. She still felt that her mistakes were surpassing her situation now, and that it would always be that way. Maybe she was crazy for allowing her mind to get there. But years of dysfunction had completely torn her mind to pieces when it came to anything that happened in her past.

But she didn't want her daughter to be that anymore, she didn't want her stupidity and her parent's inability to love, to make her daughter out into just something of her past. She was ready to change that. She was ready to rectify the mistakes that she had taken responsibility for making.

It was just honestly amazing that one look from her girlfriend made her come to terms and realize that she was scared to go back, scared of more rejection, of more judgment and it was hindering her from doing what she wanted to do. It was hindering her from doing the right thing.

She turned back to Rachel and reached her hand to lace her fingers with the brunette's.

"I'm scared."

Rachel watched the sea of emotions flutter across the flush tone of her face and she gave a look of empathy. She watched her girlfriend close her eyes, squeeze them shut with the hope of maybe getting rid of the trepidation she felt sinking throughout her body, throughout her veins.

"I'm scared that she won't…like me. I'm scared that she won't want to know me after she realizes who I am. What if she decides that she doesn't forgive me? What if she decides that I don't deserve her in my life…I don't. Or even worse, what if Shelby feels that I am intruding?"

Rachel raised her lover's hand to her mouth and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"Quinn…those are all just what ifs. Beth has been dying to know you, Shelby wants you in her life and she is going to be perfectly fine with you two having a relationship. Baby you are psyching yourself out before you get a chance to even try. I have watched Beth grow, and throughout her growing up she has wanted to know you. She has asked for it every year, just like she wrote you in her letter. She needs you…she needs her mother." Rachel said softly and she watched a tear leak from her girlfriend's eyes.

"Is that how you feel about Shelby?"

Rachel smiled sadly, thinking of the mother whom she had begged years ago for a relationship and had been turned away from up until now.

"It is exactly how I feel about Shelby." She ran her thumb across the skin of the blonde, watching the movement of their hands together before she spoke, "I love my dads, Quinn. They raised me into the person I am…but I will always need my mother, no matter what."

It was those words that struck a chord within Quinn.

Quinn, now understood the reason for Rachel's disappointment at the lack of Shelby's love their junior year of high school. She understood why it was such a big deal despite the fact that she had never met Shelby, for them to bond and have something even though her dads were her life.

Because that's exactly why she resented her own mother.

Her own mother had abandoned their relationship in a very real, very different but similar sort of way. Her mother had been there the entire time, yet refused her daughter the same way that Rachel's mom had so long ago, and the same way she had been forced to refuse her own.

It was something that was pushing her daughter far away from her subconsciously.

It was that that made her realize that she needed this. She needed to cross this line with Beth, and she needed to do it for Rachel, and for herself.

She took a sigh, and leaned over to cup Rachel's cheek and press their lips together smoothly. She moved her mouth over the brunettes softly, feeling the girl sink into her body and slip her tongue into her mouth with quiet ease, reaching up to hold onto her arm.

They moved like that briefly, two bodies enclosed within one another, pouring love with each movement of their lips, with each stroke of their tongues. It was the calm that Quinn needed, the verification that everything was fine, that she was making the right decisions, and that with every decision she made…Rachel was going to be with her every step of the way.

"I love you, Quinn." She said softly, when they pulled away and the troubled blonde allowed a genuine smile to take up her features for the first time that day.

"And I love you Rachel. So much."

Rachel smiled at her before starting the car and continuing their journey to their destination. She drove with one hand while Quinn clutched her other, squeezing with all of her nerves as they grew closer to Shelby's home.

When they reached the large house in the suburbs, Rachel pulled into the driveway despite there being about twenty cars already there.

Quinn felt her body seize up at the notion of so many people being present, and she wondered what she was going to do. She was scared; she didn't want all of these people to see her. They would hate her; they would judge her for her actions. They would say that she was wrong for being there; she thought that it would be a small party; she didn't know that the entire town of Lima would be there. She tried to focus on deep breaths within her body, but slowly she could feel deep breaths turn into a tightening in her chest, and when her girlfriend moved to remove her seat belt she held onto her hand tightly.

"Rachel, there are so many people here."

"Of course Quinn, it's a birthday party." Rachel said confusedly, smiling. Wondering briefly why she felt like Quinn was going through labor and she was the unsuspecting husband holding her hand through it.

"Baby, if you squeeze my hand any tighter, you'll cut off the circulation and I'll never be able to hold a microphone again…"

Quinn sighed, "I didn't know there would be so many people here…they are all going to be watching me, watching us."

Rachel pulled her hand from Quinn's. "Quinn, they are just people. So what if they watch you. This is not about them. This about your daughter's birthday, this about you beginning a relationship with her, not about innocent and maybe slightly nosy children's party goers of Lima, Ohio."

Rachel placed her hand on her thigh, and stared firmly at Quinn, "We are bigger than this town, Quinn. We have been out of Lima for years, and it's safe to say that we have outgrown it. You are so much better than anyone in there who could possibly judge you for anything. Don't you dare even allow them to intrude on this moment. This is your life, and you are going to live and deal with it the way you see fit. I am here now, as well, and I will not let this place…ruin you again, understand?"

Quinn watched the fiery determination flow through the eyes of her lover and she realized that Rachel Berry, thick with determination and courageous with her feelings, was back in full force and fully devoted to being there for Quinn, even if it meant standing up for her and resorting to her abandoned obnoxious personality from so long ago.

Quinn couldn't help the laughter that escaped her throat.

"Down sexy tiger." She said patting her hand that was now squeezing her thigh to emphasize her words.

Rachel let her features relax with a sheepish smile before opening the door and grabbing her gift. She then walked to Quinn's side to open hers, and help her out of the car.

"You're ever the gentlemen, Rach." Quinn said jokingly, attempting to qualm her nerves.

"Why thank you. Chivalry is not dead contrary to popular belief." Rachel said, taking the wrapped box that Quinn had been nursing in her lap for her daughter.

They both turned to face the front door of the home and Rachel wondered briefly if she herself was ready for the twirl of events they were about to embark on.

Quinn took her gift in one arm, before she reached to grab onto Rachel's hand. They started a slow walk up the sidewalk, and reaching the door that only seemed so far away mere minutes ago brought up a fresh wave of nerves that Quinn wasn't even expecting.

She looked down at her appearance of her sleeveless jean dress. She had wondered if she should have covered her arms, but her girlfriend told her it would be better for Beth to see her exactly as she was.

She was concerned about the girl seeing her for exactly what she was, though.

It was a frightening situation with many outcomes.

Rachel stood on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to the blonde's forehead.

"You can do this."

Quinn swallowed, she sure hoped she could.

She briefly registered the noise of people and the sound of kids running around, laughter and feet stomping against the wood of a floor.

She heard the doorbell ring and she could have sworn sweat droplets were dripping down her head in preparation for who was going to open the door and she moved to put herself behind Rachel.

The door opened to reveal what could only be described as an older version of her girlfriend.

The long dark hair and defined cheekbones and most importantly deep brown eyes greeted her and she registered that everything about Rachel as far as features went, came from her mother.

The eyes of the woman changed briefly, it went from the happiness at the sight of her daughter to wide with shock at the realization and recognition of whom was standing with her daughter. It could only be described as Shelby had never in a million years expected to see Quinn Fabray standing in the doorway behind her daughter for her adoptive daughter's, the blonde's biological child's, birthday.

It was something that only happened it movies.

It was the theatricality that they had watched the woman teach only years ago to their opposing glee club.

Rachel smiled, holding onto Quinn's hand behind her back, "Hi mom."

The woman was at a loss for words until the address from her daughter, and it seemed the sound of her voice snapped her gaze back down towards the shorter woman and she smiled nervously accepting an embrace from her.

"Rachel, it's good to see you…made it." She was looking at her daughter for an explanation and it registered in Quinn's mind that the woman had absolutely no idea that she was going to be here with her daughter.

"You didn't tell her I was coming, did you?" Quinn said knowingly leaning down to her girlfriend's ear with a raised eyebrow and the brunette laughed nervously, pulling the blonde woman to stand beside her, before looking up at her.

"I thought the element of surprise would be best for this situation." She stated matter of factly and Quinn rolled her eyes.

Shelby face Quinn now, staring into her hazel eyes with a look that could only be described as extreme gratitude. It was the same look she remembered giving Quinn that day when she stood in the window of the nursery watching the little girl toss and turn in her pink blankets.

"Quinn…it's so good to see you."

It was the most genuine thing Quinn had ever heard come out of the woman's mouth and she almost looked as if she'd get emotional despite the awkward position the blonde felt she was in, and before she could open her mouth to respond she was engulfed in an embrace.

The blonde stared with wide, confused eyes. Feeling the hands of the woman rub her back soothingly, and she wondered briefly what to do with her own hands, before she settled them on the back of the woman, patting awkwardly in the position, trying to form a more relaxed version of her body. And she bit her lip and closed her eyes before speaking, "It's really…good to see you too, I'm uh…sorry that this is so sudden, and I-I probably should have called, or gotten Rachel to tell you…but..I-I hope its okay for me to even be here-"

Shelby pulled back from the embrace and Quinn then noticed the tears that were most definitely falling from her eyelids.

"Oh Quinn…it is more than okay for you to be here, you're the most important person that will probably ever be here." She said softly and she grabbed her now vacant hand at her words making Quinn suck in a breath at the reality of her statement.

Shelby closed her eyes overwhelmed with emotion, before using her other hand to grab onto Rachel's as well. "Thank you…thank you both. This is the only thing she's ever asked for…thank you."

Quinn could feel it becoming too much, she could feel herself unraveling at the emotions that were threatening to seize and take control of her body.

Rachel looked at her mother with a smile. And Shelby then laughed, "Oh my god, I'm standing here blubbering like an idiot and I should be inviting you in…oh let me take your gifts. Quinn you really didn't have to…you being here is enough."

Quinn clutched the heavy box to her when Shelby reached to take hers along with Rachel's. "I, um…want to hold onto it. I want to give it to her personally. If that's okay?" She said with a small smile and Shelby nodded with sincerity.

"That's perfectly fine, you may come in girls."

She turned and Rachel cast a glance at her lover, who was tense with the severity and reality of the situation.

She was going to see her daughter.

She laced their fingers together before leading the way into the familiar house that she visited every year for this very occasion. Quinn's eyes raked over the bodies of all the people, of all the parents watching their kids run around them with party hats and some glanced back at her, some spoke to Rachel but she couldn't even bring herself to register who they were or to get to know them.

She was worried about one thing, the entire reason that she had even agreed to her journey in the first place.

She felt herself get antsy, felt the sweat start to form on her palm, and Rachel pulled her to stand off to the side, next to a wall in the house, giving her a moment to breathe. And then, that's when she heard a small strangely familiar voice.

"Rachel!"

She let go of Rachel's hand to allow the brunette to catch the fiery ball of blonde that had jumped into her arms, and Quinn knew.

She felt that overwhelming sense of love take over her body, she felt herself grow nervous and her throat tightened up as she watched her daughter pull back from her tight embrace of her girlfriend.

It was the first time she had laid eyes on the girl since she was born and Quinn felt her knees go weak.

She was a spitting image of her.

Her blonde hair was curled, and lay over her shoulder in a side ponytail and she had fiery eyes and pursed lips. She was talking animatedly with Rachel and smiling a wide smile that seemed to be completely mapped from Quinn when she was younger.

There was no sound.

The world seem to stop around them and Quinn could not speak, she could not make herself respond or address the little girl in any form, she was completely enthralled with the sight of her.

And then those same eyes, locked on Quinn's.

And the world literally did stop.

She didn't know if everyone around them noticed, how the two girls shared a look that was nothing short of identical while realizing who the other was staring at.

It was the pure recognition of a mother and her child.

Quinn watched as the girl slid from the arms of Rachel, and moved to slowly stand in front of her, looking up at her with eyes of complete shock and understanding. It was a gaze that Quinn was sure she had given many people in many circumstances. She realized that her body had gone completely still and she was actually feeling hot under the intense gaze of the thirteen year old little girl.

She didn't even feel her mouth open, and her ears took a little longer to catch up with the sound she was making and she grasped onto the idea that she softly uttered, "Beth…"

And then the little girl moved like lightening and before the older blonde knew it, she was catching the girl as she jumped into her arms, her free limb wrapping around her waist and she didn't remember Rachel taking the box from her hand, she just remembered feeling tears touch her neck and her arms squeezing the little girl to her body as tightly as possible.

She feels the little girl letting out quiet little cries and she can only make out the incoherent words of the girl's sobbing.

"Mom…I knew you'd come…I knew you'd come, mom."

Quinn felt tears sting her eyes and she allowed them to fall freely as she cradled her daughter, the true love of her life, the little girl she was forced under unimportant circumstances to give up.

She held her daughter and they cried together, she sucked in deep breaths of air as her tears fell fast and hard as her little girl hung onto her for dear life, as if…if she let go, she wouldn't come back.

So Quinn held on to her too. She held on and she buried her face into her little girl's blonde hair, kissing it and speaking words that might have made no sense to anyone else but meant so much to her.

She whispered fervently to the little girl, "I'm here Beth…I'm here."

Because she was there. And she should have been there days, weeks, months, years ago. But that was the past. All of her mistakes and all of things she missed out on was being cast to the place of the past. And holding on to this thirteen year old little girl that she had given birth to was making her understand that she was never going to let her go and she was from now on going to spend every waking moment of her life that she possibly could making up for everything in her life that she could manage to make up for.

She was going to build the greatest relationship with her daughter that she could.

The relationship that Shelby should have built with Rachel and the relationship that her mother should have built with her.

She was going to clarify and rectify her debts, while also fulfilling the holes of the depths of the people in her life that needed to be filled. She was going to forget about what she used to be, she was going to forget about whom she used to be and the people that made her that way and she was going to embrace this moment, right now. This moment of her standing in the middle of her daughter's birthday, reuniting with her for the first time in thirteen long years.

The little girl pulled her head from her mother's neck before looking at the woman, she raised her hand to flatten her small palms against either side of Quinn's face. "It's really you."

Quinn laughed a watery laugh, smiling through her tears at the little girl. "And it's really you…you're beautiful, you know?" she said softly looking at the girl, and holding her closely still to her body.

"I look just like you."

Quinn nodded at the girl, and she watched the dark eyes as they shared a look before Quinn closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

The little girl slid from her arms and stood before her, and she pulled her mother's hand, beginning to lead her past the silent partygoers and away from Rachel, and Shelby, and anyone else.

They reached a room, that was donning a gold star with Beth written on it in cursive and Quinn had to laugh at the parallel and influence between her daughter and her girlfriend.

She opened the door and pulled Quinn into a room filled with pink…everything. There was a microphone stand, and posters of different musicals, signed with the star's names that Quinn assumed were gifts from Rachel.

She noticed the different photos of her and Puck and her and Shelby and several pictures of the little girl and Rachel, and Quinn realized that she had missed so much.

She even noticed Puck's guitar sitting on a stand in a corner a long paragraph, signed 'Daddy' scripted on the wood.

The little girl shut the door, before sitting on her bed and looking up at her mother who was still staring around at all the photos, at all the memories that she had missed out on and the little girl followed her gaze.

"I spend a lot of time with Rachel in the summer." The little girl said at the sight of all the signed playbills and photos.

Quinn smiled despite her free flowing tears.

"Your room looks just like hers did…" She whispered, and she ran her hand through her blonde curls.

Quinn placed her hand on her neck before she turned to kneel down in front of the little girl on the bed. She stared into the dark eyes that were obviously Puck's and she placed her hand on her small face, pulling her forehead to her own and the two identical women shared a look filled with so much meaning, so much emotion…that nothing could ever have even attempted to penetrate it.

Quinn opened her mouth, silent nothings emptying from the opening before she breathed a soft whisper,

"I'm sorry, Beth…I'm so sorry."

She couldn't stop herself from having the breakdown that happened, she couldn't prevent the tears from falling so hard and she could stop her head from bowing brokenly as she sobbed her sorrow and cried her guilt out at leaving her daughter, at giving her child away despite her need to keep her.

Her daughter's small hands stroked her hair in a comforting way, comforting her mother, understanding her mother that she had only just met mere minutes before.

It was a moment that was indescribable, it was absolutely and totally incomprehensible the bond that was being pulled together between the offspring and her mother. It was electric, the way the two girls were allowing this moment to be so emotional and so free.

Quinn couldn't help the sounds of her cries, she couldn't stop herself from looking so broken and come apart in front of her daughter.

It was how she felt.

She cried for a good minute until the little girl, used her hands to guide her face upwards so that she could look into her mother's eyes the same way she had looked into hers.

The girl used her thumbs to wipe away the tears that had fallen, and she smiled at her mom.

"Please don't cry mom…everything's okay now."

Quinn watched the girl, before taking a deep breath. "I'm just so sorry…Beth I never wanted to hurt you, I never wanted you to think that I didn't want you."

The smaller blonde girl smiled at her words. "I know you wanted me, mom. Rachel and mommy made sure that I knew that. But you are still my mom, no matter what, and I really want you in my life. They told me that there were some things, and people that influenced you into giving me up and I understand that you were only a teenager…and daddy says that you and him weren't together when you guys had me, so the only thing that I've ever wondered is, was I a mistake?"

Quinn shook her head furiously at the girl's words and moved to lean back on her heels. "Beth, you could never have been a mistake in my life. I was young and stupid…but I loved you with all of my heart and soul, and daddy loved you too. We still do."

She looked at the blonde girl with the dark eyes, who was smiling at her mother's genuine words, and Quinn leaned up to place her hands on the bed on either side of her daughter.

"You are my first baby, my first born…I'll always love you. I…I hate that I didn't have the courage to enter your life sooner, but I want to be here now, if you're okay with that?" Quinn said softly, questioning.

The little girl looked at her mother with an excited grin, and happy eyes and reached forward to wrap her arms around her neck tightly.

"That's the only thing I've ever wanted every year for my birthday…thank you."

Quinn closed her eyes, breathing in the little girl, and rubbing her daughter's back soothingly. The little girl stayed like that, silently hugging the woman until she spoke softly,

"I love you, mom."

Quinn felt her heart beat fast at the sound of the words and she squeezed her eyes together, feeling tears fall yet another time that day.

"And I love you too, Beth."

It was a moment filled with an impenetrable emotional thickness that was probably the most poignant moment to ever inhabit Quinn's life.

They stayed like that for a while, mother and daughter hugging one another, reveling in the realism and the depth of the moment that they were sharing.

Away from the world, away from the past.

It was interrupted by a knock at the door, and the two blonde's looked to see the smiling face of Rachel holding out Quinn's present.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Quinn, I thought you might want to give this to Beth now?"

Quinn smiled at her girlfriend, before standing to her feet to take the box from the woman. She shared a look with the brunette before nodding at her to leave and as the door shut softly, she turned back to Beth.

"Mom, you didn't have to get me anything…you were the only present I wanted."

Quinn laughed, "Consider that Rachel's present then, because she brought me with her. I um, never got to give you anything to remember me by when you were a baby…so I just thought I would have something made for you…I hope you'll like it."

She handed the heavy box to the girl, and she slowly tore the wrapping from the gift to reveal a mahogany box with her name carved in cursive atop it. There were purple gardenia's painted around it and the girl's eyes went wide.

"Wow, mom…this is beautiful."

"Open it," Quinn said looking at the box.

The little girl looked at her mother, before raising her hand to the latch, to unlock what was now recognized as a jewelry box and she pulled the top open to reveal red velvet inside. Music started playing upon the opening and Beth looked at her mother in confusion.

Quinn cleared her throat at the sound of the soft tinkering of the music and sang, _"Beth, I hear you calling…but I can't come home right now. Me and the boys are playing, and we just can't find the sound. Just a few more hours, and I'll be right home to you. I think I hear them calling…oh Beth, what can I do?"_

The little girl watched her mother as she sang and felt tears well up in her eyes. Quinn smiled reaching into the box to pull a necklace holding a locket, from the compartment, "Your daddy sang that song to me in the glee club when I was pregnant with you…and that's how you got your name. Whenever you open this box, I hope you hear it and think of us. And for when I am away," Quinn stood and climbed on the bed behind the little girl, reaching to clasp the silver necklace around her neck,

"This is for you to remember me."

The locket had 'Beth' engraved into it, and the little girl opened to see the same photo that Quinn now had of her holding Beth as a baby, the moment after she had given birth to her.

The little girl closed the locket before squeezing it into her palm and holding it to her heart. "Thank you so much, mom." She looked up at her mom, who had come to sit next to her and she reached up to hug her for one last time.

Quinn held the little girl to her chest, feeling tears touch her neck from the girl's eyes before she smiled, stroking the blonde curls.

"Happy birthday, Beth."

**A/N: I am so emotionally drained after writing that, lol. I said that this would be the last chapter of the Lima trip, but I think we got one more and then we're finished. I've got some more things, Quinn needs to take care of.**

**Let me know what you thought of the reunion between Beth and Quinn!**

**REVIEW!**

**-Mimi**


	16. For The Love Of A Daughter

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Glad you guys enjoyed the reunion between a mother and daughter, I found it really hard to write that scene, just because I wanted to get the reactions down really well, and you guys say I did a good job, so thank you! **

**Anyways, we meet some old, ahem, friends in this chapter. You might hate it…I don't know. Lol. Also, we've got maybe four more chapters to go, I think…real sad. But it's not over, just yet.**

**BTW: This chapter is named after Demi Lovato's beautiful ballad, "For the Love of a Daughter", this song fits Quinn perfectly. **

**Disclaimer: I think the characters would have way better storylines if I owned it, don't you think? Lol. **

Chapter 16

Walking down a road that was vaguely familiar to her, Quinn couldn't even register her footsteps pounding against the pavement. She didn't register the sounds of the heels of her boots clicking against the concrete, she didn't even register the sight of the direction she was headed.

She saw a sun in the distance, she knew her destination. But she didn't register exactly the severe amount of walking she was doing.

Her destination, both in a literal and physical sense, was one she hadn't been to in a while.

Or rather, it was a destination she never thought she would be able to take a journey to. She wasn't going to her parent's house for them, or for Rachel, or for anyone else, she was going for herself. She was going so that she could find the answers to the mistakes that eventually affected and ruined her entire life.

She wanted to be able to stop blaming them, she wanted to be able to go forward and not have Judy and Russell Fabray on her shoulders.

If she could have it her way, she wouldn't be a Fabray at all.

There was nothing but shame hidden in the syllables, underneath the intense royalty and cocky pride that lied in the tones of the last name.

She was nothing but a product of them, nothing more and nothing less.

And the moment that things did not go as planned, the moment that they did not create an offspring that was absolutely identical to their plans of success, and Bible belt Christian like ways, it was out with them.

Frannie moved, got married, had kids, and never looked back. But it didn't matter, because she was the favorite, it didn't matter if she looked back or not because she followed the unspoken rule, she followed the Fabray direction, she made no plans or moves to do anything different or unusual. She did everything right.

Quinn was nothing but a problem, and she was too much of an alpha female for her father. She refused to bow down completely to him, she would never give him full submission, and she would never be who he wanted her to be.

And she had made an ass of herself trying.

She wasted so many years on being the perfect everything for them, that she missed out on being who she truly wanted to be.

She missed out on being just Quinn.

She was too busy being Quinn Rosalie Fabray, daughter of Judy and Russell.

Too busy being a Fabray, too busy being anything other than what was destined for her, and they tried to make her believe that she couldn't change her destiny. She was too busy being swept up in the fact that she had no other destiny, but to be the product of Judy and Russell Fabray.

And maybe, she was still being swept away and up in the reality that she was only a product of Judy and Russell Fabray, and that destiny was distracting her from the actual destiny.

It was time to move on.

The footsteps echoed louder in her ears, and she realized that she was walking in a swirl line of direction, thoughts consuming her movements, taking her to a place of the unknown, and maybe she needed to pay attention to where she was going.

She wished she didn't have to.

It was starting to feel like a bad idea, leaving her wonderfully understanding and rock of a girlfriend in her childhood bed, without a notice or without a clue of what was happening.

But she just couldn't fathom, she just couldn't bring herself to subject the light of everything that she had worked through her problems for, she couldn't bring herself to subject Rachel, to what was hiding beneath her skin. She couldn't bring herself to even attempt it.

The things her father were capable of doing, the words that he had embedded in her from a young age about her, about her father's still reigned fresh inside of her brain and she couldn't bring herself to subject her to it.

She had done enough insulting of the girl in her days, she had done enough life ruining in her span of knowing her as a high schooler, managing to exemplify the hatred that her father had through her own self, masking her love…masking her true feelings underneath.

She didn't think that she would be able to handle having that beautiful creature, the person that opened her heart to even touch the scars that were left within her there to witness it all, there to see the utter shit that her life was, she didn't want her to know just how disgusted she was with her life. And she didn't want Rachel to see the absolute hatred her father would no doubt display towards his youngest daughter, and by default…her girlfriend.

She had left all of it behind and now opening this fresh wound, peeling the bandage from the place it had been covering was bad enough, pulling the brunette into the mix of the turmoil that she was throwing herself purposely into was absolutely dreadful.

She knew that the girl would be angry with her and she knew that she would want to be there to help, to take care of her.

But she couldn't let her this time. And maybe it was the Fabray pride that she had been trying to shake most of, maybe it was the alpha that clashed with Russell Fabray that was telling her that she needed to do this alone, or maybe it was the challenge in Santana's voice, telling her that she had a faithful and loving girlfriend, maybe it was the card of the psychiatrist that was sitting heavy in her pocket, maybe it was just her…whatever the case, she was finally going to stop being full of shit.

She was going to face her parents, her father alone.

The sidewalks were blurring. The houses turning more expensive as she walked and she could briefly feel a small sheen of sweat form on her brow from the heat, it had been a while since she had quietly tip toed out of the Berry residence, refraining from waking the brunette and her fathers, maybe it had been thirty minutes? She didn't know, it felt like days. It felt like weeks.

The slow thumping in her heart alerted her of the fact that her nerves were calmer than she expected, it was an unusual thing.

She remembers the days of facing her father and her heart beating fast in her chest as if she was facing god himself, as if she was going to her judgment day. She remembers knowing what type of confrontation she was going to embark on depending on the tone of his voice.

He fucked her up, they fucked her up.

She would never be able to truly shake the things her parents had implemented in her from her childhood, age was truly nothing but a number. And she was nothing that they had ever dreamed of her being. Maybe it would have been different if her mother stayed single, maybe things would have turned out different if she would have realized much sooner that she was only a ploy in their perfect Christian joke of a family, and nothing else. Maybe.

She was so tough, leaving Ohio and saying goodbye to her parents without a second glance, and maybe she was tough because she hadn't spoken to them in years, or told them of any details in her life, but she still had some work to do.

The wounds still ran deep, she still felt the sting of her father setting the timer on the microwave for her to pack her shit and get the hell out of his house, she still felt the mark of his words when she came home that night her junior year and found him sitting there next to her mother with a sickening smile on his face.

She still felt his angry screams as she refused to stop being friends with Santana because she was a "dyke", she still heard his refusal to allow her very new very long overdue friend Rachel to spend the night, or visit at all.

She still heard her mother's silence; she still heard the swirl of her straw as she sipped whatever alcoholic beverage served as her clutch that evening. She still felt the pain in her heart at the fact that she would never ever be able to be proud of her parents, or introduce them to anyone. She still felt the shame of being, just another Fabray.

She hated them.

It was time they knew.

If she hadn't heard the blaring of the horn, she never would have realized that she was standing in front of her childhood home, and she never would have seen the pink Prius that most definitely belonged to a now angered Rachel Berry, parking across the street.

She looked up at the large intimidating glow of the Fabray residence, and she watched the sprinklers rain over the freshly cut green grass, she skimmed over the marble cut fountain in the front yard and the perfect aspect of the house.

It wasn't so fucking appealing, after you lived in it.

Understanding that she was here after so many years, realizing that she was standing in front of the place that held all of her fears, understanding that she was standing in front of the abyss of her absolute torture made her fearful and angry all over again, and she then turned to see a very angry Rachel Berry stalking up to her, hair pulled back in a ponytail and surprisingly, jeans donning her legs.

It did nothing to distract Quinn from that fact that she was actually present in front of her parent's home, and that was just too much for her to deal with.

She stepped on the sidewalk, and shoved the blonde quite harshly, snatching the sunglasses from her face as she watched her stumble backwards from the impact.

"Rach, what the hell are you doing here?"

"You have the nerve to ask? I woke up this morning to an empty bed with absolutely no means of knowing where my girlfriend is, no note or text or phone call, and you want to know what I am doing here?" Rachel snapped and Quinn noticed the tan skin turning red, she noticed how her girlfriend was becoming flustered, but she couldn't shake the feeling of absolute anxiety of her lover being so close to the home of her childhood, or what small terribleness that was her childhood.

She took a fleeting glance at the house and pulled her girlfriend by the arm off to a tree that sat in the wings of the front yard.

She took another look around and locked fiery eyes with girl but Rachel snatched her arm from her grasp cutting her off with her continued rant before the blonde could respond.

"Rachel-"

"No! I was worried sick Quinn, I didn't know what happened to you. I had to call Santana and beg her to tell me where you might have gone."

Her words lost the anger and quickly turned soft and defeated with sadness, and worry and most of all hurt, and Quinn ran her hand through her hair, shutting her eyes briefly before she turned to Rachel.

"I'm sorry I didn't wake you up and tell you I was gone…I'm sorry, okay?" Quinn said softly, looking at the girl, still feeling the emotions of trepidation. "But I need you to go home, Rachel…there are just some things I have to do."

Rachel's face turned hurt once more, and the blonde swore she even saw her lip tremble. "I-I asked Santana why you didn't tell me…that you were coming here, she didn't answer. I am sorry for being so mad, I just don't understand Quinn. I thought you trusted me…I thought you were letting me in, now…"

Quinn sighed. "No, Rachel…stop. I am letting you in, I don't want to keep anything from you, I promise. There are just some things that I don't want you to ever see, my parents are one of those things, and I need to do this, I can't fathom you being there to see it, to see…" The blonde swallowed a large lump in her throat, and the brunette watched with careful eyes, watched the scared woman that she had seen leave her usually tough girlfriend's body, appear, and she reached to wrap her arms around her.

The shorted brunette held the blonde around her neck, squeezing their bodies together and breathing in her scent, she hummed as she realized why the woman had left her cold and alone that morning.

"Please go home Rachel, I don't want you to see them. I don't want you to see how much they hate me... I don't want you to have anything to do with them."

The blonde stood up from the embrace staring at her lover with pleading eyes, and Rachel reached upwards to brush stray locks behind her ear.

"Quinn, they are your parents. No matter what happened, they don't hate you -"

"You don't understand Rachel, they do. They will." She sighed and stepped away from her girlfriend to hug herself, looking at the pavement before turning to the looming house.

"I need to do this; I need to tell them that I am done. I need to free myself from them so I can move forward, that means I have to tell them about you, about us," She turned to Rachel, "They will hate me. And they will say horrible things, Rach. Things that I don't think I can handle you hearing…I am not ready for that. I can deal with them saying things about me, because that's what they have always done. But you…I can't. I have to protect you; I cannot let them hurt you. I can't."

The blonde grabbed Rachel's face, staring deep into the chocolate orbs with the most conviction Rachel had seen in a long time. But there was something else hiding in the freckled spaces of sight and the brunette wondered if this was what was supposed to happen for her lover to move on; she wondered if this is how she was supposed to be to gain closure.

"Baby…I don't care. I don't care what they say, I care about you. I just want to be there for you…I just want to be by your side through this. I told you I was going to be here, I told you I wasn't going anywhere…I was serious. I am going to be with you every step of the way, just let me…please?"

It was a soft breathy whisper, and plea that tore Quinn's heart apart, because as much as she didn't want her love to witness the things that served as the catalyst to her fucked up nature, she knew apart of her was weak and needed that strong brunette next to her, edging her along, giving her the strength she needed to do what she needed to do.

She needed her there.

Resting her head against the shorter girls, she sighed. A single tear inched its way from her lids and she pressed her lips against hers, kissing her softly and deeply. The brunette wrapped her arms around her waist, squeezing her sides as she kissed her with all of the meaning in the world; she wanted to show her how much she loved her. She wanted to convey how much she needed her. She wanted to be able to make sure that she knew how much she needed her to understand how she felt, and she made sure with every swipe of her tongue and every dip of her mouth that she knew.

She pulled away from the tight hold, to stare into the hazel eyes. "I love you…and I'm not going to leave you."

Quinn stared letting the words sink into her system, and she savored them, she honored them before she closed her eyes tightly, imagining a world where this never was, a world where her life never ended up this way.

She couldn't see it.

It was the confirmation that now it was time, it was time to do what she needed to do. It was time to move on.

She turned and grabbed her lover's hand, and pulled her to walk in the direction of the Fabray residence.

"Quinn, are you sure about this?"

"No…but I've got to face my fears someday, Rach." She said softly, the large living area looking smaller as they furthered their journey and slowly she felt herself grow sweaty and maybe she was shaking a little more at the fact that she was seconds from being face to face with the beholder of all of her fears.

It wasn't god.

The brunette squeezed the hand of her lover, "I didn't think the mighty Quinn Fabray was scared of anything."

It caused an unexpected and short dry laugh to escape the blonde's mouth and she turned to the woman not even realizing that they had arrived at the point of entrance into the home.

"I'm not scared of anything, not after today."

She was being honest with herself, and looking at the small smile on her girlfriend's face was enough to make her heart fill with courage and faith even despite the quick vibes of trepidation filling her body up and taking over.

She pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning to face the door and pressing the doorbell off to the side.

It seemed like days, hours, weeks, before the door opened to reveal the older, drunker and significantly shocked face of Judy Fabray.

Rachel cowered behind her lover much like the girl had days before, with the prospect of meeting her daughter, and brunette eyes traveled over the depressed and defined lines of her girlfriend's mother.

There was something so defeated about the light in her blue eyes, something so utterly lifeless that was terrifying. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and despite the makeup and Stepford wives ensemble she was wearing, she looked like she was trapped in hell, donning a small glass of brandy, staring at the girl she birthed like she was a ghost.

The look was mutual from her blonde offspring.

The girl was squeezing Rachel's hand tightly, she was grasping the bones as if she was truly afraid… and Rachel wasn't sure. She didn't know if she was scared, or angry. But she knew that the combination was lethal. It was lethal and terrifying and it took her to a place of fear, herself.

It was an air thick with tension, there were no words spoken and the eyes of a mother who obviously regretted everything she had ever done, and a daughter who felt hatred in her heart at her mother locked on one another deftly.

Rachel found herself holding her breath.

And then Quinn's mother came from her drunken stupor.

Her mouth flapped open and shut like a guppy and she stared at nothing but her daughter, she stared at her as if she was the scariest thing in the world. And maybe she was, Rachel watched the emotions filter throughout her face and it was something that was far from the love that she had witnessed on her father's faces when she turned up at their home.

It was confusion, fear, and guilt.

"Hello mother."

Quinn's voice came low and full of emotion, her hazel eyes watched the woman with full hatred, and she stared at the woman as if everything had happened only yesterday. She stared at her as if things hadn't changed, as if she was still the sundress chastity belt wearing Quinn, who lived to please her parents and was fighting to get them to understand how sorry she was for defying them her sophomore year.

She was staring at the woman who stood in this very spot and watched her be thrown out on the street, for one unholy mistake that she had made in her young stupidity. She was the same mother who stood there and allowed the man that ruined both of their lives back into the very house they were standing in front of, she allowed the man to come back and ruin their lives even more. She gave him the right.

She gave up all of her parental rights; she checked out of their lives, she checked out far from where she was supposed to be.

She was never her mother.

"Q-Quinnie, oh my god…I wasn't expecting…my daughter…" She reached for the blonde with a watery smile, unknowingly genuine, but Quinn took it from the alcohol that was surely flowing throughout her system. She allowed the boney arms to wrap around her and she tensed in the embrace.

She let go of her girlfriend's hand, only to allow the woman to put on the act, to embrace her in the way she needed to, to keep up the appearance, to keep up the lie.

"I never thought you would come visit…I'm so happy to see you…I am sure your father will be too," She said with a tight smile pulling from the girl to survey her appearance and she hadn't noticed the brunette standing beside her.

She then measured the intense changes that had taken place within her daughter, she saw the pierced nose, and the tattoo that covered most of her arm, and she took in the cut off shorts and leather boots.

It was the first thing that brought a true smile to the girl's face, the shock on Judy's face that her daughter wasn't the same.

She was different.

Quinn raised an eyebrow at the woman, hard faced as the alpha female; the HBIC appeared in her body, something that Rachel hadn't seen in years, and something that Rachel realized the girl had bestowed in her originally from living with her parents.

"Well come in, my daughter…" The woman said with a tight smile, eyes glancing briefly at the brunette and she never spoke, taking a swig of the liquor she had in her glass, and turning to walk further into the home.

Quinn grabbed her lover's hand and pulled her slowly into the dark and dimly lit home of the Fabray's.

Rachel turned her chin up to take in the home, thick wood filled with tones of royalty, large frames of family photos that only displayed three, looking back at her. There were the occasional frames of four, where Rachel saw her lover looking on with a false smile of happiness, fitting into the image. The perfect blonde family.

Not so much.

She felt a white hot feeling of chilly fear take up in her body and the next thing she knew she was sitting on the velvet deep red of the couch next to her girlfriend who was visibly cold all over. It was the same cheerleader that tormented her throughout their high school years.

She didn't look at Rachel, she didn't speak to her…she didn't do anything.

"Quinnie it's so good to see you…how is everything in…California?" The woman spoke, sitting in the chair across from them looking down between the two girls, holding hands and not sharing anything but the silence between them, and it seemed it took that long for her to realize that her daughter had indeed brought someone in with her.

Her eyes, held a dishonesty that was familiar to Rachel's sight.

The previous question lay forgotten as the woman put on a grimace, before taking another sip of her drink.

"Who's your friend?"

Quinn let her hard eyes survey her mother, "This is Rachel."

Rachel's eyes flickered between the two women, and the older woman took her in with faint recognition, the same recognition that she had when she locked eyes with her at the front door.

"Rachel…" She said in a questioning whisper her eyes sliding downwards and it was quite the sight to see the tipsy woman acting profusely confused as if she had never witnessed or known who the girl was in her life. She was acting as if she had never seen her before and Rachel wasn't sure how she managed it, but it was terribly unsettling.

"Cut the shit, mom. You know who she is…you can't be that drunk, yet."

Quinn's voice snapped through the air harshly, and Judy tensed up. Rachel was pulled from her thoughts at the harsh tone and she turned to face her lover, clearly spotting the anger taking over within her bloodstream.

Rachel swallowed before standing to reach her hand outwards, "Hi Mrs. Fabray, I never got a chance to meet you when we were teenagers…I'm Rachel Berry."

The woman looked up from her seat across from them, at the small tan hand of the woman and she sneered at the gesture.

"No need to be so formal child, it's nice to meet you."

"She doesn't want to shake your hand, Rachel, because she thinks it's disgusting." Quinn said with a bite, fury rising in her veins at the sight of her mother again, conforming to the hateful ways of their good Christian father.

"Quinn, stop." Rachel said, softly reaching her hand back from the woman and turning to her blonde girlfriend.

"Yes, Quinn stop…would either of you like anything to drink?" The woman said, clearing her throat and Quinn stared at her with disbelieving eyes.

She was still the same, avoiding things, changing the subject. She was refusing to acknowledge the truth within the entire situation, she was too busy focusing on the most important things in her life, keeping up appearances.

"No thank you," Rachel said softly, taking a seat next to the blonde again and placing a calming hand to her thigh.

"What is it you're doing now, Quinn? I hope you are putting that beautiful artwork to use out there in California…there are so many wonderful and…_different_ things there. I'm sure people love to buy art, do they? Is that what you can do with your degree, sell art?"

It was a jibe at Quinn's choices, and Rachel recognized it immediately.

Quinn unclenched and clenched her fists. She stared at the unfazed look on her mother's face, who decided to continue. "I hope you are protecting yourself, there are indeed some _different_ things and _different_ people…I knew that when you decided to go to school there, although I never could understand why you needed to go so far-"

"I'm a tattoo artist mom, that's what I do. I contribute to sin. I permanently ink people's skin with a needle everyday with my art. _Different_ people, or freaks. That's what you used to call them right? Freaks?"

Quinn said the words maliciously and Judy raised her own arched eyebrow at the girl. Watching her carefully along with Rachel.

"You know what I do. I still have your fucking letters, so let's not play pretend anymore. We're all adults, here."

"Well, tattoo artist…I guess that makes you _different_ too, Quinn. Is that a lucrative business in, California?" Judy spoke, questioning the girl ignoring her statement and asking her of a topic completely off from the conversation.

"I haven't asked either of you for a dime, nor have you offered so I guess I've been doing pretty fucking well for myself, mother." Quinn spat, and Judy flinched briefly before taking another drink.

"That's fantastic Quinn, although I see no need in coating yourself with that…_ink_. It makes you look reckless…and you're not-"

"What you don't like my tattoos and piercings mother? Makes me even more of a sinful disgrace huh? Is that what you want to say?" Quinn pushed, sitting up and Rachel tugged on her hand.

"Quinn, please-"

"Calm down, honey-" Judy started, despite the tense nature of her speaking and Quinn stepped closer to her, snatching her hand from Rachel's reach.

"I won't. Say something real mom, tell me how you feel! Tell me how much of a fucking failure I am, tell me that I have become nothing like the daughter you imagined. You can be silent and agree but you can't speak up…you never speak up. You don't like my tattoos and piercings why, because it makes me look like a freak?" She said glaring down at her mother, and she leaned down to place either hands on the side of the chair she was sitting in.

"Are you having a flashback mom, of that tattooed freak you caught dad with? Do I remind you of her…?"

"Enough!" Judy snapped, slamming her glass next to her.

"She fucking speaks!" Quinn said, stepping backwards, and throwing her hands in the air. Judy stood from her spot.

"You are going to stop disrespecting me Quinn Fabray, right this instant. Now, I have no idea why you would come and act this way-"

"Bullshit mother! It's been years, it's the first time you have seen me in years. And you know why I am angry. You know why I am acting like this." Quinn snapped at the woman.

"No I don't! You left here and never turned back, Quinn. I don't know why."

"No you know, you just choose not to talk about it, just like everything else in this house. I still have the letters mom. I still have all the times where you begged me to forgive you, to come home so that we could "talk" about things. But there isn't anything to talk about. He ruined my life while you sat by and watched."

Straight to the point.

"What the hell is going on with you Quinn! When did you become so full of hatred?"

Quinn's eyes flashed angrily, "When I was thrown out on the street. When I was told I wasn't wanted, when I was told I was nothing. I had to move a thousand miles away from you to even realize how much you ruined me and I am still in ruins because of you…"

"So why come back now, huh? Since we ruined you!" Judy spoke, harshly.

"Because it's time for you to understand that I don't want anything to do with you."

The words were like a slap in the face to the woman and she stared at her daughter in disbelief, and Rachel held the same look at the harsh conversation that had just taken place in front of her, but before anyone had time to make a move towards the tense atmosphere, the front door opened to reveal the face of the center of the hell of Quinn's life.

Russell Fabray.

Quinn locked eyes with the man, and that's when it was understood just who Quinn came from.

The face, the stony hazel eyes, everything…came from Russell.

It didn't take long for things to change in the room, Quinn became much more uptight and quiet when Russell took two steps and entered the living room, flanked by his stuttering and moving wife, who took a step beside him and painted a completely different and false expression on her face.

"Russell, look Quinnie's home." Judy said, a smile laboring tightly on her features, but her husband remained stony, intimidating and he gave the girl a once over, staring at her features.

Quinn looked into his eyes and all she could see was nothing.

There was nothing that even displayed human emotion, feeling, remorse or anything. He looked the same as he always did, full of hatred and judgment. He looked full of absolutely everything that Quinn had always detested. He looked full of everything that Quinn would always see in her deepest fears and nightmares. He was donning detest and the disappointment that she never wanted to feel ever again in her life.

"Quinn."

It was one word and by the tone it was spoken, it could already be known where this conversation was about to go.

She didn't acknowledge him, just stared on as he took her in.

"What are you doing here?"

The words were biting at the most, and Rachel felt her own body tense up in fear at the tone of the man that helped create her lover.

"Happy to see me, dad?" Quinn said softly looking up into his eyes, and he relaxed squaring his shoulders back.

"I am always happy to see my daughters, no matter how much of a failure they are. Now, what are you doing here?" He said, crossing his arms over his chest, and Rachel could see the complete difference in her girlfriend's demeanor when it came to him compared to when it came to her mother.

"I came to talk, I came to tell you guys personally of what's been happening in my life, since mother wants to know so badly." Quinn said a sarcastic hint in her voice.

"It upsets her Quinn, we raised you and fed you and forgave your little mistakes and put you through college and you don't even bother to call. Not once in nine years." He said condescendingly and casts a glance over to his wife's direction. "Get me something to drink please." And with her running to fetch his request, he turned his attention to his cuffs, undoing them.

"That's funny, dad. It's funny, because I was under the impression that you didn't give a fuck, since I am such a failure."

He stopped in his tracks at her choice of words, turning to face her, getting his attention from his shirt.

Quinn watched him, watched the anger form in his eyes at her challenging words.

"Am I worthy of your attention now?"

"How dare you show up in this house and talk to me that way, you may be an adult and you may be out living in California doing whatever it is you think is right, but this is still my house-"

"Yes dad I know. I knew every time you would tell me how much I disgraced it. And I knew when I was staring up at it the day after you threw me out on the street."

He rolled his eyes, "I did you a favor. Someone needed to show you discipline for your sinful ways." He snapped, as Judy walked back into the room holding two glasses of brandy, now.

"Russell, Quinn is…an artist, she is a tattoo artist, now."

He looked at the girl in disgust. "I spent thousands of dollars to put you through school so that you could paint sin on other people's bodies?" He sat his drink down and loosened his tie.

Quinn watched his movements, and she realized that maybe she wasn't ready for this, he didn't care. He would never care.

She turned to face Rachel, "Let's go."

But there was a hand on her arm, spinning her to face him. "Look at you! You have turned into one of them…you just keep making mistakes Quinn. I don't know what happened to you, you used to be such a wonderful girl and then everything changed, and now look at you. You look ridiculous!" He said, and Quinn snatched her arm away.

"Why dad? I'm ridiculous because I'm not what you wanted, is that it? That's all it ever was about wasn't it? My mistakes, what Quinn did wrong. I wasn't the perfect Christian daughter and it was over, I lost my parents for good. Fuck that, I never had parents to begin with." She spat at him.

"You're the one who told me I wasn't good enough for anything, so don't get mad at me for not contacting you, don't act like you give a fuck because you don't!"

"Shut your mouth Quinn, I don't want to hear this Satan talk in my house," He turned to Judy.

"I cannot believe you let her back in here, I told you from the moment she graduated that we were better off without her here…and now she's back, shaming us all over again. Making us look like we don't know how to raise our children, I will not allow it!"

"You don't know how to raise you children! You don't. You are horrible people, I wish I was never a part of this fucking family!" Quinn said honestly, and Russell laughed cynically.

"Funny Quinn, I felt the same about you when you were born. It makes sense," He said stepping towards her. "We never wanted you, we never wanted to have another child…at least I didn't. Frannie was perfect, alone. And then you came along with your attitude and you were the worst thing to ever happen to the Fabray's. You and your delinquent friends and your bastard child-"

"Shut the fuck up about Beth! Don't you dare fucking say a word about her!" Quinn spat at him, raising her hand as if she was going to hit him herself, and the fury that took over her body at his words were unbearable, it was absolutely and positively unheard of.

It was really hard for Rachel to watch her, struggling with the words that were being thrown at her.

"You had the nerve to give that little shit our last name, and now it will forever be tainted with sin." Quinn shut her eyes, and Rachel decided that enough was enough.

"Quinn, let's go. You've said what you needed to say-"

Russell, turned his attention to Rachel who had stood to place a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm-"

"She's Rachel Berry, my girlfriend." Quinn breathed out, opening her hazel eyes to burn into her father's, who's face morphed into one filled with surprise as he looked at the brown haired woman standing next to his daughter, now grasping her hand.

His face then turned to disgust, pure unadulterated hatred and something in the air snapped along with his composure.

It was the calmness.

"Excuse me?"

Quinn turned to her girlfriend with wild eyes before looking at her father, "That's right dad! I'm a fucking lesbian…I just couldn't shame the family enough, I wanted to go for the whole shebang." She said and despite the situation, Rachel had to bite the laugh down.

He watched her pull Rachel closer to her, and a brief flash of red passed through his eyes.

It happened so fast, one moment it was a silent stare between a father and a daughter and the next thing he was reaching for her arms with strong hands, shaking her.

"How could you do this to us? You little bitch, how could you become so disgusting? You have ruined this family! You have ruined everything I have worked for, everything!"

Judy seemed to gain consciousness and was attempting to pry his hands from the girl and Rachel was doing the same, feeling scared and angry at the prospect of this large man hurting her girlfriend.

Finally they tore him away, Quinn falling from his hands, hitting the floor and scooting away from him.

"Get off of me!" He said throwing Judy from his body, and Rachel watched as the woman crashed from his strength into the wall, harshly.

He turned to Rachel, pointing a finger. "And you! Your faggot Jewish fathers have tainted you with their detestable ways, and now you're taking my daughter with you! You will burn in hell!"

Rachel flinched at his words, but stood tall as he continued to scream. "You touch my daughter with your filthy hands? You corrupt her…and now she is nothing! It's your fault, all of this is your fault!"

And it happened so fast again, the way his hand reared back and the way his arms clutched her, Rachel didn't need to be told what was going to happen next.

"Russell no!"

It never came, though.

When she opened her eyes all she saw was, her girlfriend pushing her father back roughly into the end table, and then the familiar sound of a smack echoed around the household as Quinn clutched her face.

Rachel watched in pure horror as the blonde pulled her hand back to see blood, and she looked up at her father with the most hatred she could muster, while he heaved deep breaths at her.

"Get the fuck out of my house, and take your little dyke girlfriend with you, you are not my daughter anymore."

It was a deadly silence at his low words, until Quinn spoke back at him, spitting at his feet…literally.

"I never was."

She didn't bother to grab Rachel, she just took heavy steps and ran out of the front door, away from the home and Rachel called out to her, but she didn't answer. It was understandable now, the feeling of absolute pain and distress, and the feelings of nothing. Rachel felt as she stood still in the living room of the Fabray home. She cast eyes at Russell.

"I said get out-"

"Shut up, Russell. You have done enough speaking. I don't give a fuck about how you feel of Quinn and me, or anything else in your sad despicable life. But I want to let you know, that you haven't won. So don't you dare stand there with a smug look on your face. Don't you dare feel triumphant, because when I return to California with your daughter, she's going to start over…without you. She won't need you, and she won't want you in her life. And you will forever live with the mistake of ruining your chances of being her father. This was her farewell. And if you ever try to contact her ever again, I will end your life."

Rachel watched him. "And my "faggot" fathers are more man than you'll ever be, and I hope that when your sad existence is ended that you realize what a disgrace _you_ actually were." She casted one look at him, before stalking past him to leave, ignoring the sobs coming from his wife.

"By the way, I do touch your daughter with my filthy hands…every single night." She said turning to him with a smirk on her face.

"You both will burn in hell." He spat at her and Rachel raised an eyebrow in perfect imitation of her girlfriend, his daughter.

"I'll see you there, then."

**A/N: That took an immense amount of time, oh my god! I just could not get this chapter out the way I wanted to. I am still not pleased with it, oh well. Next up, something to make up for all the angst and then…more friends from long ago!**

**Review, please!**

**-Mimi**


	17. Cry

_Faithfully_

**A/N: I know! I know! I just got super busy with school, and I am deeply sorry. But the good news all my stories should be updated really soon! Because thanks to how terrible of a creator Ryan Murphy has become, I'm sure we all cling to fanfiction to see these characters get what they** **truly**** deserve.**

**BTW: This chapter is named after the song "Cry" by Kelly Clarkson that Rachel covered on Glee and it broke my heart into a million pieces. Every time I hear it I just can't get the image of Rachel crying into Finn's arms out of my head (although Finn is replaced with Quinn) but that particular song and scene was the entire inspiration for this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I think the characters would have way better storylines if I owned it, don't you think? Lol. **

Chapter 17

Run.

The hot concrete was burning the pads of her feet and she could feel her ankles seizing up for failure but she couldn't help but run. The tears leaked down her face and stung in the open wound of her father's reaction.

It all really hurt, it did.

Everything. Her heart, her mind, her spirit, her body.

Her parents, especially her father had stepped on her and crushed her into a thousand little pieces with their words and their actions and she just couldn't believe herself for having the slightest hope of anything different.

She couldn't believe anything anymore.

It singed her soul, the pain. It enveloped her from every crevice and every part of her being. It absolutely consumed every piece of her. It took her over at every chance. It wrapped around her senses and pulled and squeezed until she felt every single bit of ache and turmoil that she would much rather pretend didn't exist to her soul. It was agonizing.

But at the same time, despite the breath that felt like it was emptying her body periodically, she found herself lighter, she felt her body freeing itself from the deep and heavy spot that it had previously been in.

She found herself breathing in with less of an ache of crushing pain, and more of a freeing spark of heartbreak, that she knew was needed to further her better life.

To further the life she was always destined to live, and not the one that had been set for her.

But the absolute painful ache, the yearning for a parents love, a parent's acceptance still stung to her soul.

It hurt so good, in other words.

Her feet stomped on the roads that she ran, they hit every rock, every bump and every crease and crack that laid in front of her path. Her legs burned with strenuous fever and absolute fury and she knew that she was being led somewhere worth purpose because when did her body ever lead her anywhere without purpose?

The tears fell, continued to fall and with every single drop leaving her tear ducts, she felt the solidity of her painful life, she felt the heavy and tough form of her baggage of a bullshit childhood, fleeing from her system, taking refuge in the steps she was taking, sinking into the very concrete that she was trotting atop of.

It was leaving her by way of the tears of anguish that was taking her over, and it was painful but it was for the best, it was for better things, a better life.

Tripping over her own feet, she found herself stumbling forward onto the harsh feel of the ground, and she sucked in a hiss of pain that caused her to choke on a sob that had previously been taking refuge inside of her chest.

She was on her knees, and just like she had when she was a child, when she was merely begging for her parent's attention without realizing it, she had scraped them. She could feel the skin tearing, the sting of the scab forming on her creamy skin.

But she couldn't move, she couldn't lift herself from the obvious bottom.

It was the part of her that was yearning to hit that bottom, that part of her that knew she needed that bottom, the harsh reality of it and it's affect to start over, to move on.

It didn't make it hurt any less.

She watched the deep grey and black of the ground, through blurred and tear filled eyes. She felt the rocks cut into her palms. She felt herself grow tired and frustrated with the physical and emotional turmoil her body was servicing itself to.

Her sobs flooded her system and she heaved sighs of absolute terror and more pain, and more suffering. And then she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the sting from the tight pressure of her eyelids attempting to stop the flow of tears but failing.

Shaking her head she allowed herself time to just sit there.

She imagined how she looked, defeated by her own blood, made a fool by her own parents and turned away by the two people that were supposed to love and her support her first over anyone else. The two people who were supposed to be there for her throughout thick and then.

But she wasn't defeated.

She was just accepting something that she didn't want her brain to even understand.

But they were her parents, they were the people who created her. And despite her feelings of contempt, of absolute and total disappointment in their ability to be completely useless to her life…she loved them, while she hated them, and she needed them to love her.

But they didn't.

They didn't even want to look her in the face.

They didn't want her.

That was just a rejection that even after all these years, pained her deep inside of her chest to know.

They did not want her.

She managed to reach a dirty fist up and stuff between her teeth to stop herself from crying, or vomiting or hyperventilating from the sheer amount of pain she could feel herself succumbing to.

She felt her chest tighten and constrict with short jabs of pain.

Everything hurt, and everything was shattered and it was all just too much for her to handle, it was all overwhelming and made no sense but was both trivial and detrimental to the continuation of her life and the furthering of her happiness.

It just fucking sucked.

"Is that little Quinnie Fabray?"

Blurry eyes opened despite the stinging from having them closed and the sunlight blocked her immediate vision. She raised a dirty and cut hand to her forehead to block the streams of light from her sights and found herself face to face with someone from her past.

"Reverend Smith?" Her voice managed a whispered sob and she darted hazel slits to look around her, to understand where she had fallen.

Her feet led her to her knees, on the front steps of her church and now she was staring at the very man who had instilled the beliefs that her father had taken every chance to ruin her life and happiness with.

She really didn't think she could handle another person telling her just how much of a failure to her life and faith she was. She didn't think she could handle anyone telling her anything anymore.

Her heart was too full, and her chest was just too heavy.

The older man was smiling down at her figure even despite the sobs that were now wrecking through her system at how awful, how pathetic she must have looked. She wondered how he even managed to recognize her, how he managed to even understand who she was.

She couldn't bring herself to ask, she couldn't even allow coherent words to empty her mouth because her sobs were taking away all ability to breathe. It now hurt even more, the pain of no parents and how now she was reduced to this, on the front step of the very place that would be a place of condemnation.

That's the only way she could bring herself to remember.

She remembered watching as a little girl as the place called church, the building that was supposed to be a fun safe place, Imade her fear heaven and prayer and even more than you're supposed to, god. And making mistakes. It made her a liar and a cheater because of her distinct directions to avoid sin, and to avoid being caught in sin.

But then again, all those words came from her father, and his interpretation.

Noticing that the girl's tears were overwhelming, and studying her distraught figure, the pastor reached out a skinny arm to her, to help her up and Quinn looked up at his soft features.

A part of her wondered if she'd get burned for touching him.

"Take my hand, child, it's alright."

Quinn watched the stretched and wrinkled skin of his fingers, wiggling and holding out, reaching for her. He was trying to help, he wanted to help her.

She sucked in a breath and took his help, lifting herself to a standing position and ignoring the bruises on her knees. When she was standing he reached a hand to her face and touched her scar and she instinctively jerked away, but he held her firmly. She allowed her hazel eyes to look into his calm blue ones, studying his reaction, studying what he thought of her.

"You know I'm not going to hurt or judge you, Quinn…I can tell you've had enough of that, I just-"

"Y-You want to pray for me or something? Is that it? Cause it's too late for that..." Quinn choked out, feeling small under the gaze of a man of god.

It was instinct to feel anything under a hard gaze of a man of god.

The man's eyes remained on her, "You're stubborn like your father, little Quinn."

She saw red and snatched her arm from his grip and stumbled back, preparing herself to leave, not wanting to step in another fire of "god" and "what's right".

"I am nothing like him…I'll never treat…I'll never turn my back on my family."

"But something leads me to believe that you are turning your back on your family, Quinn." The man said calmly and he turned to walk up and sit on the highest step of the church entrance.

"They don't want me! They never wanted me, they hate me…I'm nothing but a fucking disgrace! And if it's that way, that I don't want anything to do with him…I don't want a family that was never there," She stared with tearful red eyes, "As you can see I'm not the picture perfect Christian girl that you all thought I would be, I'm not what the bible says I should be, I'm not what my father says I should be which is why he smacked me and told me to get out of his house…because I'm just a mistake that keeps on making mistakes. I don't want them anymore, I'm nothing like him…because I demanded and fought for the love, and for them…they didn't fight for me. They didn't care." Quinn cut herself off, voice hoarse and open cut stinging from the salty tears slipping into the confines of the wound.

The reverend watched the girl, watched her drown in her anguish and he looked down at his clasped hands before looking back up at her.

"Your father was ruled with the same iron fist that he rules you with, Quinn." The minister spoke and Quinn scoffed looking up from the scars on her palms that she had been staring at.

"I don't feel sorry for him."

"I'm not asking you too, I'm asking you to listen to this. He has never known anything other than what his very, serious and catholic father told him. And unfortunately, he never had a chance to learn differently." The man twitched the corners of his mouth upwards at her, letting his eyes travel over the slit in her cheek where her father had struck her.

"Quinn," the man reached over to pull her chin up, "Listen to me…your father has no right to treat you the way he has, a father should never treat his child as unwanted or as nothing at all. Parents should always honor their children, they are a blessing to them."

"Not a gay daughter laden with tattoos, that doesn't deny the truth for the first time in her life…" Quinn whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks and a look of absolute agony portrayed unto the eyes of minister and he smiled despite the words.

"Especially a gay daughter laden with tattoos…you are nothing but an absolute blessing Quinn. And god wouldn't have sent you to them, if not for that very reason." The reverend brushed the liquid drops from the girls face and brushed her wild strands of hair back out of her face.

Sweat droplets were falling from her forehead from the heat of the shining sun and Quinn wondered why she was starting to feel light again, starting to feel feathery and filled with a sense of furthering her life, in happiness.

"I know because of your occupation, er…lifestyle, you're meant to be biblically optimistic, but aren't you supposed to be telling me how much of an absolute sin I am? I'm pretty sure I'm begging to have holy water thrown on me." Quinn laughed a cynical one, her heart beating achingly in her chest still despite that airiness that was now subsequently flowing throughout her veins.

The reverend laughed a small chuckle, taking his hand from the girl's hair and running over his weak strands. "I am a preacher of many truths, Quinn…and the truth is nothing that the Old Testament says could ever make me hate a daughter in Christ. You were baptized in my church, you were raised in my church, and despite the ignorant ways of your father, you are a blessed child of god. I believe that god sent you the woman you are with because he wants you to be with her. He wants you to be happy with her. And ultimately I believe the heart is led by God's plan."

He smiled old wise eyes at her, "Little Quinn Fabray, live your life. But do not be like your parents. They are old and stubborn in their lack of knowledge and they may say things that lead you to hate them…but they are your parents. Nothing will ever make them stop loving you, so you have to love them. You have to refuse to turn your back on them. You can let them go, let the need to please them, the need to live up to their ridiculously unobtainable standards, the need to be the Quinn they never knew they really wanted, let it all go, but you can never be them…you can never turn your back on them."

Quinn looked down, understanding the reverend's words, but feeling the pain of the fact that she knew her parents, she knew that they may not ever understand her decisions, may not ever understand her reasons for being happy. She knew they would never believe or allow themselves the moment to understand the influence and pain they have had on her life and her unhappiness.

"I don't want to…I just want them to love me, I just want them to understand, and they never will." She whispered, tears sliding down her face. And the minister placed his hand on her back, rubbing gently.

"Quinn, they do love you. They just don't want to admit their ignorance…they don't want to admit how much of a better person you are compared to them…you, like many of the children of your generation, are a child of a new open world." He smiled wide and brushed himself off.

"Us elders, should be taking a hint from you, the world would have a lot more peace…the peace that Jesus himself once spoke of."

Quinn closed her eyes and opened them, "Is it gonna stop hurting? Even though it's best…even though I have to let them go, let all of this go, is it ever gonna stop hurting?" She said, and he stood, offering his hand to her, pulling her to her feet.

"No…but you'll be able to handle it all now, that's what prayer is for…that's what god and your faith is for. That is what the beautiful brunette that God placed in front of you…is for. As long as you remember that, as long as you remember that he will never place anything on you that you can't bear, you will be stronger than any syllable that your last name holds, you will be ahead of the game that you never really knew you were playing." He said, grabbing her cheeks gently.

She stared at him, let his words sink into her system and soak within her body, she felt herself grow absolutely calm, grow weary with angst and understandingly prominent heartbreak that was decidedly necessary.

It was necessary because it was time to move on, and moving on was hard to do…it would always be an ache pulsing through her chest when thinking of the failure her parents brought to her life.

But she could do it now, she could handle it now.

"Quinn!"

The sounds of footsteps echoed in their ears and slowed to a halt around them, and the two turned to see a sweaty and out of breath Rachel sprinting from across the street towards them.

The minister smiled at the sight of the girl now standing a few yards behind them. He turned back to Quinn with knowing eyes, "Life will fall into place, little Quinn…just remember what I told you, trust god in spite of everything and love with all your heart, understand?"

Quinn nodded and closed her eyes as the elder Reverend reached forward to grab her face softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"There will always be a place for you here, Quinn…when you're ready." Quinn nodded her head, and watched the man step back and then wave his fingers at the girl standing behind her, smiling.

"Hello, Ms. Berry." He said, nodding his head in the brunette's direction, and Quinn turned to see the girl nod back at him with a smile, and with a heaving chest, she acknowledged him.

"Hi, Reverend Smith…it's good to see you."

Quinn watched the interaction and felt her heart swirl and ache and sizzle and sparkle with a million emotions, and as the pastor walked off, she could feel everything from the conversation…everything from the day's events crumbling around her and consuming every single bit of her.

She turned to Rachel and the girl had to catch her with waiting arms as she fell into her embrace. She felt the tears flood from her tired and sore eyelids and Rachel clutched her tightly.

She was sobbing, crying out her despair, crying out her absolute pain and agony towards everything that was happening within her life. She was absolutely breaking down from the confrontation and hurt from her parents, she was falling to pieces.

But only because she knew that was what she needed to do in order to be put back together again.

That was definitely what she needed to do.

So she allowed Rachel to sink them to a sitting position once more, and she allowed her arms to hold her as she cried her despair into the air of the soft summer days. She allowed the girl to run her hand through her silky blonde locks as she once again moaned and grieved the loss of parents in a new kind of way. She absolutely died with anguish in the love of her life's arms, because it was how she felt.

And she couldn't imagine any other person there to hold her, there to shush her cries and tell her that everything was going to be okay, she couldn't imagine any other person there to lean down and press soft kisses to her head and whisper to her that she loved her, that she was always going to be there for her.

She just couldn't, and maybe that's the thing.

Rachel was there, Rachel was giving up her time to take care of the one person she loved more than anything on the earth and she would be okay because of that. She would be able to handle her parents, despite the pain, because Rachel was there…Rachel was the rock that god had planned for her.

She lifted herself inside the embrace and stared at the brunette, she allowed red rimmed pupils to look at dark chocolate ones and the girls stared at one another to allow the effects of what had transpired that day to flow between them, and then she pressed her lips to hers and melted into the passionate moving of their lips.

They moved like that, an enigma of absolute color and love. An embrace of passionate conviction that displayed the need for one another. Quinn delved her tongue into the brunette's mouth and explored every crevice of it, sighing into the kiss as Rachel worked her over.

She pulled from her with a desperate sigh, "Take me home, Rachel…take me home and make love to me."

* * *

Falling through the entryway of Rachel's pink, childhood bedroom, Quinn felt her knees buckle under the feeling of Rachel's hands moving and caressing her body softly, holding her cheeks as she tongued her passionately, and then sliding downwards towards her waist.

She guided her backwards as she moved against her, fumbling fingers and heavy breaths of love, of want echoing around them, surrounding their ears. Quinn wrapped her arms around her lovers neck and gasped as the back of her thighs hit the end of the girl's bed and she tumbled atop of it, the brunette falling with her, mouth now latched to her neck.

The Jewish girl suckled on the space, sucked every bit of her neck and made sure to lick and nip enough to bruise the spot, but only slightly. Quinn ran her fingers through the silky tresses and closed her eyes as the girl moved her mouth against her pulse, and then further down to her collarbone.

"Please, Rachel…more, I need more." She whispered, and pulled Rachel's head up to look at her, staring at her with wide hazel eyes of deep meaning.

Rachel didn't even speak, she dipped her head forward and captured her lips again, feeling the pressure from the heated embrace bringing a moan from the blonde. Rachel reached her nimble fingers up to pull the hem of the girl's shirt from her body, pulling away to press her plump lips against Quinn's forehead and then her cheek, letting her soft lips guide over the scar from her father's hand.

Rachel raised up and let her hands softly trace the cut, and she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"I'm never going to let him hurt you again," Rachel said, and Quinn reached up to wipe the potential tears from her eyes. She let the girl lean down and kiss the wound, gliding over every inch of her face before settling on her lips again, moaning into the kiss.

She landed similar intuitive kisses to her neck and then exposed collarbone, tasting the smooth milky white skin of her lover, making sure to run her hands over her arms, and feeling the shivers erupt throughout the girl's body.

"More, Rachel…I need you." The blonde said, sighing and running her own finger down the brunette's torso, stopping at her t-shirt and pulling it hastily from her body, her eyes growing deep with want.

Rachel sighed as Quinn ran her fingers over her bare torso, stroking her abs and running her fingernails over the area with ease. Rachel threw her head back and moaned, reaching behind her to unclasp her bra shimmying it off of her shoulders and baring her breasts for a hungry eyed Quinn who, sat up to press her mouth against one of the mounds, suckling softly.

"Fuck, Quinn…no…" Rachel closed her eyes at the feeling, but still reached to pull the girl from her chest. "It's about you, I'm going to take care of you."

The girl pulled her forward by the back of her neck and reached up to unsnap the front clasp of her bra, dipping her head down quickly to take her breast in mouth, sucking the flesh like her life depended on it and twirling the nipple around and flicking her tongue over it.

Quinn moaned out in ecstasy, fisting the brown locks of Rachel hair, and reaching her hand between them to unbutton the girl's pants, and the tanned girl seemed to realize what was happening.

She pushed the blonde back down, sliding her hands to the girl's thighs, spreading them and placing her thumbs on the frayed edges of the shorts donning the girl's legs. Rachel reared her head up and pressed her forehead against Quinn's, feeling the girl urgently pushing her jeans down her legs, sliding her spread legs up to wrap around her lovers, using her feet to trail the offending clothing item around her ankles.

"Quinn, slow down baby…I want this to be slow…I want-"

"Make love to me, Rachel…show me you love me, show me you need me…come on baby," Quinn moaned reaching her hand into the girl's panties and sliding a finger between her folds easily, causing Rachel to cry out the contact, her wetness slipping out and coating the girls fingers.

The blonde pulled her down close to her body, pressing them close together and feeling their hard nipples rubbing against each other, Rachel opened her blurred eyes, watching the determinedly red swollen eyes of her lover as she worked her clit now, circling and flicking with eager fingers.

Rachel had trouble controlling herself as the feelings took her over, Quinn's slender fingers now sliding back inside of her mercilessly, attacking her arousal senselessly.

The brunette grabbed Quinn's hand and slammed it above her hand, swiping another quick hand between them to pull her shorts and underwear down, feeling the girl suck in a breath as the cold air hit her center. She closed her eyes and arched into the feeling of Rachel.

"I want you, Rachel…love me," She said, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck and the girl wondered why her lover was acting so erratic, so desperate.

She pressed her lips to her mouth hotly, and brushed her blonde hair back off of her face, "I do love you Quinn."

"Show me, show me you love me…show me you want me." Quinn said bucking her naked hips into her lover's clothed ones and the brunette gasped at how wet her girlfriend was.

"Quinn, baby…you're so wet," Rachel whispered cupping her girlfriend's sex and rubbing her palm gently against the sensitive clit that was peeking out for affection.

"Rachel, please…oh yes!" The blonde cried out, gripping the brown locks and the brunette slid a finger in without warning, crashing into her with quick thrusts. The blonde whimpered and gasped at the slight feeling, gripping her lover with a strong hand, and Rachel reached a free hand around her to pull the girl's legs around her, all the while working her quickly with one finger.

"Yes, Rachel…yes. It feels so good, it feels so good that you want me…"

She was reacting from one slender finger, she was crying out in pleasure with eyes shut tight and thrusting hips and Rachel watched her lover come apart, having never seen her this vulnerable, never feeling her become this emotionally connected before.

"I always want you Quinn, I need you…don't you understand?" The brunette moaned into her ear slipping another finger into the girl's heat, feeling her lover slide her silk panties off her hips at the same time that she cried out her complete satisfaction of the intrusion.

"Make me understand Rachel…make me feel good, show me…" She whined, and she quickly thrust three long fingers inside of Rachel throwing her head back as the girl called out at the feeling, matching her girlfriend in numbers and slamming a third digit inside of Quinn.

"Fuck, I always need you…you are everything to me Quinn, you are absolutely everything. I will spend my life making you understand how much you mean to me…shit that feels good baby, I want to make you feel good for the rest of my life." Rachel said kissing her between her words, fucking her fast with her fingers, feeling her legs unlock from her waste and spread with shaking vigor, as she cried out at the feeling.

"God, that's all I ever wanted…just l-love me Rachel, fucking love me…want me," Quinn moaned rolling her hips and twisting her wrist in time with Rachel's insistent pace and the brunette closed her eyes, feeling her breath leave her in short bursts at the feeling, feeling her life close in around her as the desperation in her lovers voice starting to become less broken and more pieced together in her brain.

She flicked her thumb over her clit, adding her fourth finger to her heat and slapping her palm against the hood of her folds reveling in the feeling of lover's hand going slack and her body tightening on her hand.

"You're perfect Quinn, I love you, I want you."

"Please love me…please, please…fuck Rachel I need you to love me, I need you to want me…oh god, want me…" She cried and Rachel opened wide chocolate orbs to watch her lover as she humped her hand, as she fiercely thrust her hips to meet the tempo of her hand. She studied her face, eyes scrunched closed and eyebrows furrowed. There were sweat beads dripping down her face and she was crying out to heavens with every pump of her girlfriend's four fingers.

She was hurt, she was aching, and she needed this.

She needed to beg Rachel to want her, to need her, because today she had the two people that were supposed to want her more than anyone give her up willingly…again.

And boy did Rachel know how that felt.

So she pressed a soft kiss to her lovers head and she complied with her request.

She made her feel wanted.

"I need you Quinn, I need you forever…you're beautiful, you're everything I've ever wanted, you're everything I'll ever need…I'm gonna make you feel good, I'm gonna make you feel better. You deserve it, you are absolutely perfect. I love you…I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again, I promise."

"Fuck Rachel, yes…yes, promise me…promise-promise me you'll love me…please, I'm so fucking close…oh god," The blonde was crying, tears of anguish leaking from her eyelids as she wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck, and Rachel could have cared less about being touched at that particular moment.

"Look at me Quinn," Rachel said softly, raising a hand to grab the girl's face, she turned her to look at her and watched the girl sobbing as she clenched.

"Want me, love me…love me…faster," Rachel sped her fingers up and watched the girl mouth open as she wailed out in a cry of anguish and pleasure, her heart stabbing with pains of agony but her body stinging with bolts of pleasure.

"I love you Quinn, I want you." She whispered softly pressing her mouth to hers, tasting salty tears, and Quinn sucked in a breath feeling the tightening in her stomach, feeling the sticky white-hot feeling curling in her toes and Rachel's heart clenched as she held her.

"Fuck Quinn, open your eyes, let me see you, let me in." She said and she fucked her with harsh merciless pumps, hearing the wet sound of her hand slapping against the girl with force. And it was rough and fast, but there was a passion in her work that Quinn could feel every bit of and it was salvaging her ache and her pain from her parents neglect, from everything, from every problem.

"Come on Quinn, let it go…let me have it, let me take it away. I want you, I'm not them, they are gone, it's just me now. And I'm gonna take care of you, baby…come for me."

And Quinn opened her eyes to display how red her pupils were, tears leaking fluidly from her dilated sockets as she gave a hoarse cry of ecstasy from the feeling of absolute pleasure that rippled through her body and ripped her at the seams.

She was giving it up, she was putting her faith in the fact that it was over, and it hurt but, fuck Rachel loved her…and she felt so good.

And she would always be there, to make her feel good.

"Oh, Rach…oh fuck! Rachel!"

Her walls clenched around all four of her fingers and Rachel watched her body shake and quake around her arm as she came a spilled herself, spilled everything onto her, and around her. Rachel watched as the girl coughed on her sobs, shutting her eyes tight and pulled her close to her body.

She held her again as she cried, as she faced all the pain, she clutched Rachel desperately as she came down from her high and sobbed wet salty tears onto her naked shoulder.

"Why don't they love me? Why, Rachel….why-why didn't they want me, I just…I just wanted them to love…I just wanted them to love me…why…"

It was heartbreaking.

Quinn Fabray was done breaking, she was through crumbling and she was facing the fact that her parents hadn't and would never be there for her.

It was killing Rachel that this was all necessary, it was killing her to watch her fall apart in her arms and it was killing her that she had to hurt so bad, to get better.

"It hurts, Rach…it fucking hurts so bad…I just want it to stop." Quinn sobbed and Rachel pressed a kiss to her, a soft one, tasting the mixture of sweat and shame and tears and everything else.

"I know, baby…I know…" Rachel choked out, feeling tears prickling her eyes, she stroked her lover's cheek, felt the battle wounds of the most life changing event of her life, and she realized just how much she loved her, she realized just how much she needed her.

"Promise me, promise me you'll always want me, promise me you'll never leave…"

Rachel kissed her cheek, "I love you, I'll always want you…I'll always need you. And I'll never leave, baby."

Quinn let the words sink into her system, let the feelings take her over in a consuming way, as she closed her eyes at the feeling of her lovers embrace, of her lovers comfort.

"I'll never leave you, Quinn."

* * *

Hours later, when sleep had consumed the emotionally and overwhelmed Quinn, Rachel was awakened by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

She stirred and felt her blonde lover move next to her, questioning in her sleep what was going on.

"Shh, Quinn, sleep baby…I'll get the door, okay?" Rachel pressed a long kiss to her temple and slid from the bed softly, the cold air of the room hitting her nakedness quickly.

She hissed and grabbed a red silk robe from the floor that she assumed was hers, as the doorbell was practically leaned on again. Groaning, she stumbled down the steps, physically exhausted and running a hand through her matted hair, briefly wondering if this guest was her father's returning from their day out.

It seemed to be late in the evening and she reached the door, wondering why her fathers would be ringing the doorbell. It must have been them judging from the time, because no mailman in their right mind would be delivering this late. She opened the door, with knowing eyes and a smile, embarking on the beginning of a well scheduled rant.

"Dad, daddy…why are you two ringing the doorbell when clearly, this is…"

It wasn't her fathers.

"Hi, Rachel."

It was actually far from her fathers.

"Finn?"

The tall muscular man was smiling nervously at her, standing and shuffling on his feet, clutching a bouquet of daises. She saw that the sleeves to his shirt were rolled up, making his impossibly big arms look even bigger and she flinched and instinctively stepped back at the sight of him.

Fear.

Could this day grow any worse.

"F-Finn, what are you doing here?" she stumbled over her words and he brandished the flowers at her, smiling.

"I um, I heard through the grapevine that you came to visit your dads…I just wanted to see you Rach, I got you flowers, see?"

He was still the Finn from high school, he was still innocent as if he was stuck in an overgrown five year old's body, with the temper of a murderer.

But it was something about him that she would always love. There was something about Finn that made her heart warm. Something about him that gave her the urge to believe that someone just needed to give him a chance.

"Thank you Finn." She accepted the flowers slowly, unmoving from the door, and she smiled back gently at him.

"How are you, Rach?" He said softly, fingers fidgeting and twiddling between one another, and he looked hopeful at her, she couldn't quite decipher what the hope was for.

She held the daisies close to her, took a deep breath, "I'm fine, Finn…I'm…living. How are you?"

He glanced down before looking up at her, "I am better, I have been seeing a counselor…Burt actually has been going with me, helping me. I'm hoping that I can get my probation lifted." He looked hopeful, wanting to impress her.

She offered a genuine smile, her body still held close to the doorway, unmoving…untrusting.

He watched her, eyes never leaving her expression, and he waited for an answer so she gave him one, "That's…great you're getting help, Finn, I'm glad you are better," She glanced behind her nervously, looking at the stairs, before staring back at him.

She was thanking the heavens that Quinn was sleeping soundly, "Listen, Finn…I am glad to see you and I appreciate the flowers, but I really have to go-"

"Rachel I just wanted to tell you sorry…I didn't mean to blow up on you on the phone that day…I just lost control, I saw those pictures and I jumped to conclusions about you and Quinn. I just remembered when you told me those things…and it made me mad…it was wrong, you and Quinn probably weren't even like that…"

Rachel sighed. Immediately she knew that she needed to remove herself from this situation, she saw that despite the help, there was the blatant denial of the fact that she was indeed in another relationship, and in love with Quinn. He was forcing himself to believe that there was another chance for him, for them.

And maybe she didn't help, maybe she made it worse because she was spurring it on. Maybe her thinking that he was worth another chance was only throwing him back into situations that he just didn't have control of.

"Finn, please…stop." He stopped talking and looked at her with eyes of confusion, "I forgive you for calling me that day and acting the way you did, I knew that you were upset about the paparazzi pictures as soon as I saw that were calling. But you need to understand that you didn't jump to conclusions, you were right. Quinn and I have caught up, and we're together…and we're in love. I'm in love with her."

Finn continued to stare, continued to look at her with eyes of contempt, and his eyebrows furrowed deeply in confusion. Rachel stared at him, holding her breath, praying that his treatment was changing his reactions, if only a little bit, long enough for her to leave the closeness of his presence.

"Finn, I'm really sorry but I have to go…this isn't really a good time-"

"You're with Quinn now?" He said.

She knew the situation had lost any kind of control now. She glanced back again with worried eyes, seeing that Quinn was still sound asleep. She raked eyes over his appearance, watching as his jaw twitched and his face became slowly flushed.

"Yes Finn…I told you – I told you that I was in love with her."

He gave a laugh, not quite cynical and far from menacing. But it was filled with a certain level of insecurity. It was full of absolute and total insecurity.

"No, no, no…you were lying though, Rachel."

"I know I lied to you while we dated, Finn. I should have been more honest, I should have told you how much I loved Quinn…how long I had been in love with her, but I didn't want to hurt you."

"You're not gay, Rachel…you can't be gay…this isn't something that can be joked about…"

It was frustrating and scary, and she was having déjà vu from the past situation of relaying these particular truths to the man she once loved. "Quinn and I are together Finn, and I love her…I am gay." He was shaking his head with eyes closed, and if took the time to place his hands over his ears, he really would have looked like a toddler. "I don't want to lose you as a friend…despite everything, but if you can't accept my relationship – "

"Stop! Stop lying to me…stop fucking lying Rachel!" He roared slamming his hand against the side of the door, and Rachel flinched taking a step back instinctively, clutching the flowers in a vice grip, a terrified vice grip.

His eyes darted to her eyes watching the light and emotion in them before he spoke pitifully, "I-I'm sorry for yelling Rachel, I didn't mean to…"

"Finn, I think you need to leave." Rachel said in a small voice, and she had never been afraid of anything, she could never figure out what fear really meant. But standing here, watching the unstableness of someone she used to know so well, watching a situation unfold, she realized that she was absolutely mortified of what could happen.

She had been wrong about Finn, and Quinn had been right. And now glancing back at the staircase again, she took back that prayer of thanks for Quinn's slumber and she prayed silently that the woman would wake up, she prayed her lover would wake up.

She took her hand and pulled her robe a little tighter, now suddenly realizing how inappropriately dressed she was.

"Finn –"

"I'm not leaving 'til you tell me the truth, I'm not – I won't be lied to Rachel…now tell me you're kidding, I'm not stupid, you aren't with her…you can't be…this isn't true."

Warning signs were now blaring at Rachel, and she took another step back, reaching for the door, tightly gripping the edge of it. "I'm telling you the truth Finn, now please go."

"Not until you tell me the fucking truth!" He yelled again, and Rachel closed her eyes tightly, ready to shut the door before this could go any further.

"Finn, please stop…please don't do this to yourself, understand me…I'm telling you the truth, Quinn and I – "

"No! She's done something to you…I know it, Rachel…she's done something. She's always been a liar and now she's turned you into one too…" He continued to scream and Rachel shook her head glancing back for the umpteenth time.

"Finn –"

He stared at her, dragging his eyes down her appearance and then, it seemed the puzzle that he was definitely trying to piece together and wrap his mind around, made sense.

She stared at him with eyes of fear and apology.

"She's here isn't she?"

Rachel swallowed and on a mere whim, on an absolute impulse she reached to slam the door in his face.

But he was miraculously too fast.

She was transported back in time once more as the sadly familiar grip of his strong fingers encased her throat and before she could blink she could feel herself crashing against the wall next to the staircase, the table that was blocking it being thrown to the side and broken with his large hands.

She gasped for air, her breathing labored and her eyes wide with fear.

"You left me for her! You lied to me…you told me you wanted to be with me, and I was stupid enough to believe you…I let you trick me just like she did! You fucking bitch!"

She choked and coughed, "Finn-"

He pulled her off of the wall and slammed her back into it, his hands blocking the air from her lungs completely and she could easily see where this was going.

"Now you're fucking her, now you're letting her touch you…you're a dyke, you are fucking disgusting! You bitch…I want you to hurt, I want you to feel the way I felt…you filthy little bitch…I hate you!"

With every scream, with every insult, the pads of his fingers pressed tighter on her lungs, on her air supply and she reached for him, she felt herself lifted off the ground, felt her robe slipping open from the effect and she could feel herself getting light.

"Q-Q-"

"Don't try to scream for her now! She can't fucking save you, she probably doesn't want to because she doesn't really want you…you are just a part of her sick fucking game…she doesn't love you Rachel…she never will, she can't…nobody will ever love you like I do…nobody!"

He was choking her, and she was going to die, she just knew it…she could feel it.

It was all too much, she really couldn't breathe, and her head hurt, and everything was swirling around, and dissolving…she really didn't want to die this way, not naked and fearful. She didn't want to be that girl, that pathetic excuse for a woman. And she definitely didn't want the love of her life, upstairs asleep while it happened.

But she really couldn't breathe.

She cast one look up to him, with eyes white and wide and she opened her mouth to speak only to feel the pressure loosen from her neck and feel herself slump to the ground.

She crawled on her knees, gasping for air. Clutching her throat and coughing, falling on her stomach and trying to find the bodily energy to look around, only to see Quinn, hands around Finn's throat in a similar fashion to the way she had just been abused.

There was a ringing in her ears, there were things happening but she couldn't stop the shock from leaving her face at the effect of her lover, bashing a somehow now incredibly weak Finn Hudson into the glass of a mirror.

"You're never gonna hurt her again, you understand? I'll kill you…I'll kill you, you fucking bastard."

She let him go, only to raise her fist to slam against his jaw, effectively. The crack bounced off of the walls and she kneed him in the stomach, watching him fall to the floor.

But she wasn't done; she was literally trying to kill him.

She kicked him, and she kicked him and she kicked him with all of the rage in the world, she screamed and grunted in anger while she did it and she ignored the tears that flooded her eyes from the anger and anguish from the entire day in her system.

"You'll never see her again…you'll never touch her…you son of a bitch, stand up now! Fight me now!"

She relented her kicks to stand over him, and she stared down at his coughing figure.

"Get up Finn, get up…fight me…beat me! Come on…I'm just as helpless as she is, come on!"

She bent down and reached for him, hands around his throat once more, squeezing watching his bloodied face stare at her, just as Rachel had stared at him.

She couldn't explain the mentality, she couldn't tell you why…but she wanted to watch the life drain his body. She wanted to see him get as scared as her love had only seconds before, and so she squeezed him, not caring about the possible life sentence or death penalty she could face.

She wanted to fucking murder him, for touching Rachel.

For all the times he had ever, touched Rachel.

"_Q-Quinn…"_

She heard the soft voice; she heard it and she knew.

"Quinn, please don't…_"_

She sighed and she closed her eyes, letting tears fall, letting the soft desperate please of her lover sink into her, and then she felt weak hands behind her, reaching to grab onto her own, gripping as tight as she could with what energy was left, urging her to stop.

"Don't be like him…_don't be like your dad_…"

Quinn gasped and let go quickly, watching him fall to the ground coughing, sputtering, and sobbing.

And with a cry she turned to catch her lover just as she fell into her arms, red marks from Finn's hands around her throat and robe burst open from the force of his strength.

It was in that moment that Quinn realized how scared to lose Rachel she was, how scared her body became when she walked down the stairs and realized that her girlfriend, her lover, her life was being mangled, was being hurt in front of her eyes.

She clutched the weak girl in her hands and pulled her almost lifeless lips to her own in a soft tearful kiss.

"I'm…sorry Quinn…you were right, I'm sorry…" the brunette whispered in a futile voice and Quinn kissed her, kissed every inch of her face, kissed her hair.

"Don't apologize; it's not your fault. This is not your fault…this isn't anyone's fault…I was so scared…I thought…I thought I would never see you again, I thought I had lost you forever."

Rachel buried her face into her lover's neck, "I'll never leave…I told you that, I-I'll never leave you Quinn, ever…"

Quinn pulled her close and made the choice not to let go, held with all the fiber in her being, before she leaned back and stared into her chocolate eyes.

She realized that she didn't have time for this bullshit; she realized her love for Rachel was beyond the problems of their hometown; their love was far beyond the life that they once shared. Their love was meant for something enormous, it was meant for something greater. Something extreme, and unreal. And unconventional.

She couldn't do anything about the people that followed or the people that got left behind, or the people that didn't want any part of it. All she could do was love her. All she could do was give her the world, give her everything she could and hold nothing back. All she could do was be everything for all the fantastic reasons and leave the rest to god.

There wasn't enough time to worry about the trivial things, there just wasn't.

"Marry me."

Rachel looked up at her with lazy eyes, before realizing the question and managing to allow them to dilate. She looked at the blonde with her mouth open before sagging in her grip.

The brunette blinked at her, eyes red with weariness before they slid closed with an ease that was ultimately dangerous.

"Rach? Rachel!"

Reaching for a phone, as her lover slipped into unconsciousness, Quinn realized that their love, contrary to her earlier wonders and prayers, would never _ever_ be easy.

**A/N: So the Finn scene totally came to me while watching Of Mice and Men, in my English class. And Lennie reminded me of Finn. So when I watched the scene where he kills Curley's wife, I thought…perfect.**

**Almost nine thousand words this one is, tell me what you thought!**

**- Mimi**


	18. What Doesn't Kill You

_Faithfully_

**A/N: Alright, alright! I'm back, with a new penname! **

**We're almost to the end now people, and I'm getting emotional! I just love hearing you guy's response so much, it makes writing this such a fun time. Keep being as awesome as you are, alright?**

**BTW: This chapter is named after the song "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)", by Kelly Clarkson. It's just one of those Faberry songs, you know?**

**Disclaimer: I think the characters would have way better storylines if I owned it, don't you think? Lol. **

Chapter 18

Time had ticked by, and Quinn really hated hospitals.

There was something so unnecessarily depressing about them, something so cynical and saddening about sitting in an all-white room watching your loved one or family member rest in a bed reserved for people who weren't well.

It was unsettling.

Ever since she was rushed into a room and held down while pushing out the life form of a baby that would never go home with her, she had found the whole aura of the place off-putting.

She felt suffocated with memories, filled with a deep clotting pain of longing as she allowed hazel eyes to travel over the cheesy hospital décor and the soft murmuring of the television and the beeping of the machine tracking the steady sleeping heartbeat of her lover.

She watched the brown haired beauty sleep with a calculated and almost heavenly ease. Her chest heaved rhythmically with her slumber and she almost smiled despite the turmoil that was physically still evident from the day's events.

Quinn had never felt more dedicated to anyone than she did sitting next to this girl as she slept.

From gripping her hand as her father spat his contempt and absolute hatred for her lifestyle, to begging her not to leave her, to protecting her from death itself…Rachel was hers to keep and come hell or high water she was going to fight to be there.

It was all bullshit, and the pain was undeserving. At least on the Jewish girl's part, but it had happened to them and somehow they were pushing through as they always had, donning minimal scars.

The pain was practically unbearable, however.

The hurt from her mother and father, and the intense anger from watching as someone hurt the only thing that kept her strength right in front of her. The pure rage from watching her lover be strangled almost to death, to unconsciousness was draining and it was even more draining to think that she might have lost her.

But she didn't.

Despite the sharp spark of agony that passed through her system at the thought of letting go, at the thought of having to live life with these scars no matter how minimal they were, she felt the urge to smile.

Even as she raked her eyes over the exhausted and domestically injured form of Rachel, she smiled at the immense progress in life and love that they had made. She smiled at how hard it had been, indeed to love one another, whether secretive or as loud and proud as the vibrant Los Angeles rooftops.

But they indeed made it through, despite all the speculation, despite the bets and the criticism, despite the slushies and pornographic pictures, degrading names, pregnancies, bigotry and musical numbers, they were standing stronger than most would have suspected.

It was that thought itself that made Quinn grin; it was that small fact that made her bear her teeth in a show of absolute and total happiness, in a show of gratitude for the woman that lay under the covers of that bed. She absolutely would be nothing without her.

Without the years of bullying within her closeted sexuality, without staring into those forgiving brown eyes even after she had doused her in slushy, without watching the light in the whites of her pupils as she sang every song with fixated stares not on Finn, but on her when she thought no one would notice. She wouldn't have survived if she had not stopped on that sidewalk at the sound of that voice calling out to her.

She would have been reduced to a small disintegration of nothingness, because Rachel was her life. She was absolutely her life in every aspect and now watching the slight purple of her neck fade, watching the color reappear in her face, she realized that life just wouldn't be life without her.

Life wouldn't be worth all of the success from all of the tattoos and empires in the world if she couldn't have shared it with a vibrant gold star obsessed diva every single day.

She wanted to marry her, she wanted to spend thousands of dollars on an overpriced ring and buying the biggest wedding in the world to make her hers. She wanted to do whatever it took to call her her own. She would give her soul, she would go anywhere to be able to say that this was hers, and hers forever, officially.

Because even the sight of her unconscious body, even the thought of never being able to look into those eyes, even the thought of not being able to ever hear the beautiful laugh and voice speaking, singing to her for any reason numbed her mind and senses to a place of absolute terror.

It was like this girl supplied her air.

She let soft gentle fingers run lightly over the bruising on her neck, biting her lip as the girl moved a little at the feathery touch of her lover.

That's all she had been doing once they medicated her after her X-ray, sleeping. It was because the strangulation had absolutely drained all energy source and left little blood to flow, at least that's what the doctor said. She had been given medication to dim down the swelling of her throat and to ensure the safety of her vocal chords even as the damage had been surveyed and watched closely.

It was absolutely terrifying for Quinn, to watch her girlfriend go limp in her arms after on a whim asking her to spend the rest of her life with her.

She had called to paramedics soon after, and her fathers shortly after that, to follow her to the hospital, but it was the sight of her girlfriend falling in and out of consciousness trying to respond and failing miserably with it, something about her fighting to keep energy, voice barely a whisper caused tremors to erupt all over her.

* * *

"_Rachel? Please wake up baby…"_

_She hovered over the sort of conscious form of her girl, she held on to weak fingers as EMTs worked with fevor to revive her, it was nerve wrecking, they were trying to stimulate her blood flow and make sure she had enough air._

_And she was slipping in and out from reality, with dopey smiles and incoherent mumblings, it was almost as if she hadn't even been strangled, almost as if she was just high and loopy from some unidentifiable magnetic force. _

_But Quinn squeezed her fingers as the ambulance rode through the streets of Lima, and she cooed over her girlfriend who decided that breathing in fresh oxygen through once strangled lungs was the perfect time to speak on how outraged she was, about being proposed to in this particular state._

"_I can't…believe…" Every so often a violent cough would interrupt her speech and she would find herself dripping with absolute pain at the thought of something blocking her lover's golden lungs._

"_What baby, what can't you believe?" Quinn said, running a hand through her brown hair, willing to listen to the babbling whether it made sense or not in order to keep her conscious. The effects from her injuries, from her abuse could kill her within the time frame of thirty-six hours if she didn't keep her conscious until further treatment at the hospital._

"_You, proposed…I look…look terrible." She rasped and Quinn chuckled pressing her lips to weak and whitened ones._

"_You look beautiful, you always look beautiful…I proposed because I love you, I want to be with you forever." Rachel let a smile pass her lips, coughing again feeling a burning feeling within her lungs as she reached for air from an unknown place._

"_That almost – it almost didn't happen, huh?" She said and tears leaked from her red eyes, tears that made the aching in Quinn's chest burn heavier than before and she bit her lip, squeezing skinny fingers, and continuously stroking silky brown locks._

"_It doesn't matter, you are with me, and you're never going to leave me…and I'm never going to leave you, we're together forever, right?" _

_She closed her eyes and grinned, "I love you so much, it's hurting…and I don't know if…if it's the pain in my chest from not being able to really breathe, or if it's my sore throat…or m-my headache…or just how much I love…you. But it's…it's so worth it."_

_Quinn let tears fall as the girl coughed up air, and the ambulance pulled into a slow stop in front of the hospital. _

"_I'm not worth this, Rach."_

"_You are worth…everything." Rachel croaked, holding on to her hand tightly, as they rolled her out of the ambulance, pushing her with Quinn alongside through the hospital doors, rushing._

"_You probably don't need to talk so much, love." Quinn said with a laugh as they started talking around her and grabbing needles and charts and things and even though the circumstances were extremely unsettling, it was as if Quinn saw nothing but the faint light still shining in Rachel's weary eyes and her weak smile._

"_Blah, blah, blah….y-you –" She coughed, "You've been saying that since high school…and I still…I haven't stopped yet."_

_Quinn laughed, a full boisterous laugh, gaining questioning looks from every doctor and nurse in the room._

"_Quinn…"_

"_Rach…" The blonde said bowing her head to stare at the girl who watched as doctors injected her with different medicines. _

"_I'm s-sorry about –"_

_Quinn put a finger to her lips, silencing her inevitable apology for things that weren't even worth it._

"_Stop it, Rach. I told you…none of this is your fault, it will never be your fault." The blonde gently scraped a tear as it touched her colorless cheeks, and she wondered how long it would be til the life fully returned back to her girlfriend's body._

_It was terrible, knowing that someone who at one point spent more time with her than she, someone who claimed they loved her, did this. _

"_I-It was though…I was as s-stupid as you, said –" She was crying now. Tears soaking through her voice with every cough and Quinn suddenly felt the guilt rise up and between her blood cells like strings of fate._

"_I was wrong…I was just angry when I said that, and you aren't stupid, baby. You are…amazing and smart, and wonderful and caring and that's all. That's all this was, that's all it will ever be. You aren't stupid…you just got hurt."_

"_I-I am always getting-getting hurt…" She choked and Quinn saw her eyes slipping saw her getting tired with her words, from her tears and the blonde looked around for the doctor, who smiled and gave her the okay._

_She shushed her, finger tangling easily through the strands of brown. She felt the grip on her hand loosen, she felt the girl relax into her touch as she started to calm down. The medicine to dim her throat's swelling, effectively hitting her system and causing her drowsiness to take over._

_With lips pressed onto her forehead, and a thumb caressing the skin of her hand, Quinn smiled at the girl, looking into the chocolate eyes with determined love. Determination was such a factor when it came to this love, to their love…it was hard not to love her that way. _

"_Not anymore, not ever again. You're going to rest, and get better…and then tomorrow I'm going to take you away from here, from Lima. And I'm going to take you home, and I'll protect you from it all. I'll protect you from everything. As long as I have you, as long as you're mine…you'll never get hurt again. I'll never let anyone hurt you again, ever."_

_Rachel smiled sleepily, raising her lips slightly as if she was puckering and Quinn gave a watery chuckle, leaning down with ease to press her lips to the weakened ones softly, a limp arm reaching up to tangle in the back of her blonde hair._

"_I love you…Quinn…I do…d-do you love me?"_

"_Always, Rach, Always."_

"_And…you'll propose again…when, I'm not half dead?"_

_Quinn laughed as the girl drifted off to sleep with a smile, "Of course."_

* * *

The blonde smiled at the memory, she was so scared when she had fallen asleep, scared her lungs wouldn't be able to get enough air, but the doctors ensured that she would. The medicine they had injected her with was meant to clear the swelling from the strangulation and the other dose was to make the white of her eyes return, and with rest and health the color would return to her face.

She was still there for overnight observation and then they'd leave the next morning just as soon as the confirmation of her vitals came.

Quinn had never wanted to be further away from the place after the weekend they had had. She had been reminded why she left, there were just so many mountains in this town, in this state alone, and it was ultimately what spinned her into the out of control specimen she was now.

Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out the card that Santana had given her before they left and she stared at the writing.

_Dr. Sandra Wilkins – Psychiatrist_

It was a step for her, and Rachel supported it. But it was scary to think of some woman that she had never met. Some chick that didn't know the half of what was going on inside of her body sitting on a leather couch demanding an hour's worth of her time to listening to what she had to say about her craptastic excuse of a life story.

She just couldn't tell you how frightened she was of talking…of exposing something so exponentially damaged and fragile to someone so that they could judge her vulnerability and write it off as a diagnostic of her being a fucked-up psychopath.

She was wary, even though she knew how emotionally inept she was, even though she knew with the dysfunction of her life and the head that it came to this weekend she needed more guidance. More than just Pastor Smith, and Rachel. She needed something and someone on the outside, someone that could do a miracle, and really see inside her to help her understand what steps forward were necessary. That didn't mean she wasn't afraid of it.

She was terrified to talk to Jesus nowadays, so naturally a woman with glasses and a clipboard was just as horrifying.

It might have been too much, she might have been overreacting. But she felt as if she would get into that room with this woman and freeze with sweaty palms and a fucked up distant and defensive attitude.

She could always take Rachel…she had said she'd go with her, but there was a part of her that didn't want to feel needy, a part of her didn't want to feel as if she couldn't do these things, the things that make you the strong person, the strong Quinn Fabray that she was.

There was so much more thought behind it than she initially expected.

So naturally she was deathly afraid and at a standstill, even despite everything, but she really wanted more official closure than what she had felt when she told her parents to fuck themselves, and what she would feel the moment their flight touched off from the ground the next morning.

So she did what all good people would have done during a moment of need.

She called Brittany.

Most people would think that she would call someone with just a little more…maturity. But many people underestimated Brittany's intelligence, much like they underestimated her wise sense of advice.

Granted she didn't release it in the most conventional of ways, and she definitely didn't censor herself to sound as if you were reading a modern copy of _Poor Richard's Almanac_ or something, but it came when you least expected and when you definitely didn't think you needed it.

Quinn listened as the legendary voice sang about how her 'lonely heart called', and before she could laugh at how well the ringtone described her best friend, she heard the usually cheery voice of the girl.

"Hey Quinn!"

Quinn smiled, "Hey Britt…how are you?"

"Oh I am good…feeding Lord Tubbington his nightly snack of fondue." She said nonchantly and Quinn shook her head at the mention of the cat.

"God, I can't believe you still have that cat, he has to be at least a hundred years old."

"Well that can't be right,Q, because I got him as a gift when I was five, and he was like one…and well, I don't like numbers…but he can't be that old. But he has been craving fondue more, I'm getting suspicious, I'm starting to wonder if he's expecting." She said thoughtfully and Quinn had stifle a laugh.

"Expecting, huh…I don't know about that Britt."

"Well, you see I just remember when you were pregnant in school and you had those awful mood swings and you kept eating a lot of bacon…but we didn't know you were carrying a bacon eating little monster inside of your stomach, I just thought you liked eating pork. And Santana's been craving it too…so I think she's passing her pregnancy to Lord Tubbington."

"Wait – what? Santana's pregnant?"

Brittany grew quiet and the phone shuffled before she came back to the receiver it seemed. "Oh damn it, Quinn…I wasn't supposed to tell you! S, wanted to wait until you and Rachel got back tomorrow…oh she's going to be so pissed at me. She's always trying to lecture me about, um, what is it called? Overbiting or something –"

"Oversharing, Britt…holy shit, you guys picked a guy? And I thought San said you were going to carry?" Quinn said in wonderment.

"We picked this guy, and he's really cute. Blonde hair, blue eyes and he can sing…he's also a dancer. One of my good friends from the studio I worked with…he was so happy to make a baby with us! Although I told him we were going with the turkey baster way…and not – you know. Santana didn't want to carry, but I just knew she'd look so beautiful pregnant Quinn, and I just want a little bit more time before I have to give up dancing for nine months."

Quinn laughed, "Yeah, I understand. Congratulations, Brittany…this is amazing. I know you guys are going to make great mothers. Although, sometimes I wonder about your wife."

Brittany was beaming through the phone and it reflected in her voice. "Hush, Quinn. So what's up?"

Quinn let eyes wash over her sleeping lover and sighed. "Nothing serious, hey Britt, do you think I'm crazy?"

The blonde on the other end, laughed. "No, Quinn…I think you have crazy life problems. But you aren't crazy at all. Because then, if you were we'd have to put you in one of those homes where the people are strapped with like…white seatbelts to like chairs and stuff. And I know for a fact you don't like to wear seatbelts."

Quinn bit her lip before asking, "Do you think I should go to a doctor to talk about my crazy life problems?"

"There are doctors for that? Do they like give you a shot or something?"

"No, Britt. Like a therapist. Like one of those doctors you go and sit and talk to about your life problems and they tell you what they think to try and help you get over how crazy your life problems are."

"Oh, are you scared to go?" Brittany said with wonder and Quinn was caught off guard at the quick inquiry tossed at her from the girl. She chewed on her fingernail wondering where the sudden cowardice came from.

"Yeah…I am."

"I thought you weren't scared of anything though, Q? Do you like have a phobia of couches or something?"

"No Britt, I'm scared of feeling crazy."

"Well…the doctor can't make you feel crazy. Unless you feel crazy when you talk about your life problems. And if that's true then it wouldn't matter who you talked to, because feeling crazy would happen regardless because of your insides controlling it."

Quinn thought about it. "So you're saying I can't be crazy, unless I allow myself to have those feelings?"

"I think so. I don't know, Quinn. I think there's nothing to be scared of. A doctor on a couch listening to your insane life trauma can't make you feel crazy…it's all inside your head. They're just there to sort it out."

"She's a complete stranger though, I mean…what if she has absolutely no idea how to help, and she thinks she'll never be able to do anything for me?"

"Complete strangers are the best people to talk to, because since they don't know you, they can only judge you by what you tell them."

"I'm almost positive I'm a hopeless crazed case Britt."

"But Quinn, this woman has like…gone to school to learn how to help people as crazy as you think you are, so shouldn't she be able to handle you?"

Quinn smiled, "She should…but I'm hard to handle."

"You're hard to handle because you make it hard. You put on like…these invisible blocker type walls and you make it hard for anyone close to you to really help you, and that's why sometimes it's better to open up and be vulnerable. So that you can become less wall-like and more free to feel happy and unicorny. Don't you want to be able to love Rachel and be with her without worrying about all the other complicated crap from your crazed life that you have been dragging with you? That's what the doctor is for…you never know unless you try, and I think this is worth a try, Q."

Quinn closed her eyes and sighed letting the easy identification from her friend wash over her in waves and she smiled a genuine smile, "Thanks Brittany…I really needed to hear that from you."

The blonde squealed happily from the end of the line and Quinn chuckled. "Yay Quinn! I can't wait to see the brand new you, all happy and glow like…you already look really sunshiney because of Rachel…but now it'll be even more sunshiney…like watching the sun set over your life or something! I can't wait!"

Quinn laughed and leaned back into her chair, closing her eyes.

"Me neither Britt…"

**A/N: I decided to stop it here, even though it's short, I know! But I am trying to end it on twenty chapters and the next chapter is going to be long and deep and exploring within Quinn's therapy session, so I wanted to leave a little breathing room for that. I hope you guys liked what I gave you though! Sorry for the length! Let me know what you think!**

**P.S. Shout-outs to anyone who can tell me what Brittany's ringback tone is. lol. **

**- Mimi**


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